Koraput: A petition seeking an independent probe into the appointment of professor Narasingha Charan Panda as acting vice-chancellor (VC) at the Central University of Odisha (CUO), Sunabeda, has been forwarded by the president’s secretariat to the department of higher education for appropriate action.The petition was submitted by Jeypore-based human rights activist Anup Kumar Patro to…

Bhubaneswar: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Wednesday took suo motu notice of media reports alleging that a 17-year-old tribal girl from Dhenkanal district was trafficked to Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, sold, and repeatedly sexually assaulted for nearly two years.According to the report, the girl and three others were taken to Uttar Pradesh after…

IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, along with collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, inspects the British-era rain gauge in Cuttack Cuttack: A colonial-era rain gauge in Cuttack is set to be preserved as a key meteorological artefact, after which it will be kept either in maritime museum or the upcoming collectorate complex in the city, authorities said.District collector…

Delegates attend a session on the opening day of the Brics DRR working group technical meeting in Puri on Wednesday Bhubaneswar: Odisha showcased its robust early warning systems and zero-casualty approach on the opening day of the three-day Brics disaster risk reduction (DRR) working group technical meeting held in Puri on Wednesday, also marked by…

Kendrapada: A 52-year-old woman was reportedly trampled to death by a tusker in Jajpur district on Wednesday. “Fula Pradhan of Kolha village under Dalijoda forest range was attacked by an adult male elephant on Wednesday when she along with other women was collecting firewood in the nearby forest. Some locals rushed her to the community…

Sambalpur: A 38-year-old daily-wage worker was killed in an elephant attack at Kumer village under Jujumura block on Tuesday morning, triggering protests by villagers who demanded safety measures and compensation for the bereaved family.Sambalpur assistant conservator of forests Runendra Swain said the department received information around 5.30 am that Laba Bhoi had been attacked near…

Berhampur: Two people were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly kidnapping a 42-year-old man and demanding a ransom of Rs 2.40 lakh.Police seized three mobile phones and and screenshots of bank transactions from accused Banoj Kumar Tarai (35) and Snehalata Das (26), residents of Sundarapada area in Bhubaneswar.The victim, who was kidnapped from Andhapasara Road here…

Bhubaneswar: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the construction of the long-pending coastal highway in Odisha, from Rameshwar in Khurda district to Paradip in Jagatsinghpur, under Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM). The project, to be executed in two packages, will span 160 km at an estimated cost…

Berhampur: The mystery surrounding an 18-month-old case of a missing 24-year-old man might get resolved as police on Tuesday recovered a human skeleton from an abandoned house on the presimes of a defunct spinning mill at Aska in Ganjam district. The family members of the missing, A Shankar Patra of Narsinghpur, claimed it was his…

Keonjhar: At least four people were injured in a clash between residents of two villages in Keonjhar district on Wednesday over a dispute concerning encroachment on govt land.The residents of Tentulinanda village under Soso police station and Shankhana in Nandipada area allegedly pelted each other with stones. The injured were admitted to hospital, sources said.Police…