‘Hyderabad Metro Rail phase-I to be completed by 2014’

Hyderabad: Works related to Hyderabad Metro Rail are progressing at a brisk pace and phase-1 of the project will be completed by 2014 as per schedule despite the "challenges," officials said.

"Year 2012 is a landmark for Hyderabad Metro Rail (HMR). Belying doom-sayers' predictions, works on the project are progressing at a brisk pace and we have so far completed construction of 351 piers in three stages. Other major works like workshops and central control room, etc. Are also progressing fast," HMR managing director NVS Reddy and L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad Limited managing director VB Gadgil said. 
 They told mediapersons late last night that HMR would have a state-of-the-art Communication-based Train Control System, the first-of-its-kind in India.

"Structures and systems being used for HMR will also be far, far superior. We will also have aesthetic, linear and beautiful metro stations with cantilever designs," they added.

Each metro station would be built on a single pier.

The first consignment of rails for the project would arrive from France in the first week of February.

"We are quite aware of the challenges in urban infrastructure development. But challenges are like tonic for L&T," Gadgil noted.

Not only the country but also the world was looking at the HMR project as it was the largest such project taken up in Public-Private Partnership mode.

"There are differences (between HMR and L&T) but they are issue-based. We are sorting them out. The project will set benchmarks," Gadgil said in reply to a question.

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CBI court permits Dharmana, Mopidevi’s prosecution

Hyderabad: A special CBI court on Monday permitted the Central Bureau of Investigation to prosecute Roads and Buildings Minister B Dharmana Prasada Rao and former minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana under the Anti-Corruption Act.
Upholding the CBI’s contention that no permission was required from the government to prosecute them, the CBI court has directed Dharmana and Mopidevi to appear before it on January 31.
The state cabinet had rejected the CBI’s request earlier to sanction Dharmana’s prosecution. However, the same file was rejected by Governor ESL Narasimhan.
Mopidevi Venkata Ramana has already been arrested by the CBI in the Vanpic segment of disproportionate assets case of YSR Congress party president Jaganmohan Reddy.
In the changed scenario, Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is likely to accept the resignation of Dharmana Prasad Rao, sources said.

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Shutdown in Old City, situation tense

Hyderabad: Almost all shops and establishments in the Old City of Hyderabad on Monday were closed after a court in Sangareddy sent MIM supremo Asaduddin Owaisi to judicial remand for 14-days.
Asaduddin Owaisi was sent to judicial remand till February 2 after he surrendered before the Sangareddy Court in a case registered against him for allegedly abusing the then District Collector Anil Kumar Singhal and his deputy JC Bhima Naik on April 16, 2005 at Mathangi in Patancheru mandal.
As soon as the news spread, hundreds of MIM workers took to the streets in protest and shouted slogans against the State Government and police. While the shops and establishments were closed, several schools and colleges in the Old City declared holiday while cancelling the classes. The RTC services too were withdrawn in the Old City and presence of private vehicles too on the roads was thin.
Shops in several localities in the new city including Mehdipatnam, Tolichowki, First Lancer, Banjara Hills, Murad Nagar and Nampally too remained closed.
Minor incidents of stone pelting and lathicharge were also reported from a few places in the Old City.
Meanwhile, the city police have intensified patrolling and deployed pickets at sensitive places. According to a senior police, situation in the city was peaceful and under control.

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Traffic Diverted For Million March

10th Mar, 2011: City Police Commissioner A K Khan on Wednesday issued orders regulating flow of traffic from 6am on March 10th in the wake of 'Million March' called by Telangana Political Joint Action Committee (TPJAC) to highlight the Telangana cause.

In order to maintain security and free flow of traffic in Hyderabad city, the following restrictions and diversions have been imposed in Hyderabad on Thursday.

Traffic coming from Secunderabad to Hyderabad will not be allowed beyond Karbala Maidan towards Upper Tank Bund.

Traffic coming from Paradise will not be allowed towards Karbala Maidan, and will be diverted towards Ministers Road/Advaiah crossroads.

Traffic coming from R P Road will not be allowed towards Bible House, and will be diverted towards Monda Market/Ghansmandi.

Traffic coming from Bhoiguda/Padmaraonagar/Walker Town/RTC crossroads will not be allowed in the direction of Kawadiguda at Musheerabad crossroads.

Traffic coming from Azamabad crossroads will not be allowed to proceed towards Ashoknagar and Indira Park, and will be diverted at RTC Crossroads towards Naranyanguda or Musheerabad.

Traffic coming from Crown Café/RTC crossroads/Narayanguda crossroads will not be allowed towards Himayatnagar, and will be diverted. No traffic will be allowed on the Narayanguda fly-over from Crown Café.

Traffic coming from Barkatpura/Narayanguda/Kacheguda crossroads will not be allowed towards cemetery, and will be diverted at YMCA circle.

Traffic coming from Mehdipatnam/Vijaynagar colony/Khaja Mansion will not be allowed at Masabtank towards Ayodhya, and will be diverted. No traffic will be allowed on the Masabtank fly-over.

Traffic coming from Anandnagar colony will not be allowed from V V Statue Junction towards Nirankari/Khairtabad fly-over/Raj Bhavan road, and will be diverted towards K C P junction.

Traffic coming from Greenlands will not be allowed towards Raj Bhavan Road, and will be diverted at Monappa Island.

Traffic coming from Panjagutta will not be allowed towards V V Statue, and will be diverted towards Taj Krishna at K C P junction.

Traffic coming from Afzalfunj/Putlibowli/Taj island will not be allowed towards Abids at MJ Market and will be diverted.

Traffic coming from MJ Market/Ek-Minar will not be allowed beyond Taj island towards Nampally, and will be diverted.

Traffic coming from Darrusalem road/Bazarghat road/Taj island will not be allowed towards Nampally station road at Ek Minar mosque junction.

The traffic coming from Nallagutta junction will not be allowed towards Necklace Road, and will be diverted at Nallagutta junction.

A K Khan requested that the general public start early and take alternative routes to reach their destinations, and cooperate with the police.

Students appearing for intermediate/CBSE/ICSE examinations should compulsorily carry their hall-tickets, and make arrangements to reach the examination centre well in advance. Employees working in offices within the restricted area shall carry their identity cards. Press/electronic media also should carry their accreditation cards.

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Obama likely forced to cut Indonesia trip short

 

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — President Barack Obama finally made it to Indonesia Tuesday, his home for four years of his youth. But no sooner had he arrived than word came that a volcanic ash cloud would likely cut short his already quick trip.
Obama had to cancel two previously scheduled trips to Indonesia because of domestic events — final talks on the health care bill, and then the Gulf oil spill. The volcanic ash had looked like it might keep him from Indonesia altogether for a third straight time.
The White House decided the trip could happen. But as Obama flew from New Delhi to Jakarta Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters traveling on Air Force One of the latest development — the ash cloud would probably cut the trip short.
Gibbs said the White House was working on different scenarios for how the president would spend Wednesday morning, including starting his day of events earlier. The White House is hoping Obama can still deliver a speech to the Indonesian people planned for Wednesday.
As scheduled, the trip was less than 24 hours, with Obama arriving late afternoon Tuesday and leaving midday Wednesday. The trip was shoehorned into a jam-packed 10-day Asia trip, between three days spent in India and economic meetings in South Korea and Japan that start Thursday.
Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrived on a gray, humid day in Indonesia's capital, and were greeted by dozens of dignitaries at Istana Merdeka, a white columned presidential palace reminiscent of the White House. Obama greeted some of the officials in Indonesian as he shook their hands.
Obama was then to meet with Indonesia's president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The two leaders were to hold a joint press conference and in the evening the president and first lady were being feted at an official dinner at the state palace complex.
Even if Obama is forced to leave before planned, his quick stop in the world's largest Muslim-majority nation, an increasingly important player in Asia, will allow him to speak to the values of democracy and religious tolerance and reflect on his time here as a boy.
The U.S. has increasingly embraced Indonesia as a moderate Muslim nation and partner in counter-terror efforts in the wake of attacks in Bali, Jakarta and elsewhere in the region between 2002 and 2005. Like India, Indonesia is also seen as a counterweight to China's gathering strength. The nation of 250 million people is made up of a string of islands stretched through the Indian Ocean between Australia and Malaysia.
"Lots of U.S. interests and lots of challenges and opportunities intersect in Indonesia," Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, told reporters Monday.
"The president will be able to speak to the positive example that Indonesia sets ... as a country with a thriving Islamic community, but also a country that has a pluralistic tradition."
Obama's abbreviated schedule doesn't allow time for him to visit childhood haunts, but he intends to speak to his personal biography at an address to a large crowd at the University of Indonesia scheduled for Wednesday morning. The future president moved to Jakarta when he was 6, after his divorced mother remarried an Indonesian, and lived here until he was 10.
Obama's stepfather was Muslim, and during his time in Indonesia Obama occasionally studied the Quran and visited a local mosque. Although Obama is Christian, that background helped foster enduring rumors in the U.S. about the president's religion.
Planning for Obama's Asia trip featured a religious controversy when the president opted not to visit the Golden Temple Sikh holy site in India, spawning rumors that he wanted to avoid wearing a head covering that could make him appear Muslim. In Jakarta the president planned to visit the giant Istqlal Mosque, the largest mosque in Southeast Asia and a popular tourist attraction.
The president was to conclude his Indonesia visit with a wreath-laying at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery, the burial site of veterans of the Indonesian National Revolution, somewhat equivalent to Arlington National Cemetery in the United States.
Obama departs Jakarta for Seoul for a summit of the Group of 20 developed and developing nations.

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SKS Microfinance plans to cut rates to 24% across all states

NEW DELHI: SKS Microfinance said on Tuesday it was planning to cut interest rates to 24 per cent across all states, after an ordinance passed by Andhra Pradesh imposed serious restrictions on its business model.

The latest move follows the company's announcement last month that it had cut its annual rate of interest to 24.55 per cent from 26.69 per cent effective immediately in Andhra Pradesh.

"The ordinance and its implementation will have material impact on the company's operations in Andhra Pradesh," India's leading lender to tiny businesses said in a statement.

The company is still not in a position to comment on the material impact, and it was yet to decide on a time frame to implement the rate cut, a SKS spokesman said.

India's microfinance industry, which surged to prominence when George Soros-backed SKS raised $358 million in an IPO, faces a regulatory clampdown that could erode profits and hurt growth.

Last month, the Andhra Pradesh government through an ordinance imposed a limit on rates that the industry can charge customers and also curbed aggressive recovery practices following several suicides by borrowers in the state.

The state contributes 28 per cent of the current loan portfolio of the company.

SKS is in talks with the Andhra Pradesh government and regulators like the Reserve Bank of India and Ministry of Finance for "rectifying onerous aspects of the Ordinance and its implementation," SKS said.

Microfinance firms typically give loans to small businesses that have no access to banks and charge an effective rate of 28-32 per cent a year, about double the rate on bank loans.

Apart from Soros, SKS is also backed by investors like Sequoia, Kismet Capital, Unitus, venture capitalist Vinod Khosla and Infosys Technologies founder N.R. Narayana Murthy.

Shares of the Hyderabad-based company, which the market currently values at more than $1.6 billion, were down 3.3 per cent at Rs 966.85 in a Mumbai market that was down 0.33 per cent.

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Srikrishna Committee asks Centre for Policy Research (CPR) to study the development of Hyderabad metropolis.

Giving a new twist to the speculation on the future status of Greater Hyderabad in the event of bifurcation of the state,the Srikrishna Committee has asked the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) to study the development of Hyderabad metropolis.

CPR president and chief executive officer (CEO) Pratap Bhanu Mehta and senior fellow Partha Mukhopadyaya have been assigned to conduct the study on the growth of Hyderabad since its formation,Srikrishna Committee member secretary VK Duggal told TOI on phone from New Delhi on Sunday.

He said,the CPR will just profile economic,social and cultural aspects of the city and it has nothing to do with political process. The terms of reference of the two-member group was to study physical growth of the city,demographic profile,economic activity,sociological developments and the culture of the city and it would submit its report by November-end,Duggal said.

Asked about the modus operandi,he said the members will not conduct any field visits.They will meet government officials and the top people from the industry to get the required data.The Srikrishna Committee which had gathered information with regard to the development of Hyderabad has already been supplied to the members.Reports by the Federation of Andhra Pradesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FAPCCI) reports were also being provided to them,he said.

He said the Srikrishna Committee will analyse the CPR report and added that its recommendations were not bearing or binding on the Committee.It will only help to go into the details of development of the city for better understanding in making viable recommendations to the Centre, he said.

The internationally recognised New Delhi headquartered CPR is an independent and non-partisan research institute recognised by the Indian Council For Social Science Research (ICSSR).

Duggal said the sub-committee of experts to study regional imbalances in two crucial sectors power and irrigation headed by Central Water Commission (CWC) former chief engineer AD Mohile and former chief engineer of Central Electricity Authority VB Gupta had already completed field visits and were preparing report based on the information gathered at field-level and government records.He reiterated that the committee will submit its report to the Centre by December 31.

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Tech Mahindra sees merger intent out in 2-3 weeks

"(The merger) does take time with the high court approval and the SEBI approval and various things," said L. Ravichandran, president of IT services at Tech Mahindra, referring to the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India.
"So it could take some time," he said at the Reuters India Investment Summit in Bangalore on Wednesday.
Tech Mahindra, which acquired Mahindra Satyam in April last year and is operating it as a separate unit, has said it can only merge the fraud-hit firm into the parent after the restated results of Satyam are announced.
Mahindra Satyam, which has not reported results beyond the September quarter in 2008, is scheduled to report its restated results on Wednesday.

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TPD leader Chalasani Venkateswara Rao (Pandu) Murdered

eptember 27, 2010 (Buzz6) – TPD leader Chalasani Venkateswara RaoChalasani Pandu got murdered by his Partner Mahender Reddy due to some Real Estate issues. Chalasani Pandu was involved in many murder cases, It’s known to Krishna people that he was also involved in Vangaveeti Ranga’s murder. (Pandu) found dead at his flat in Swapnika Perl apartment (Yousufguda).  According to Police,

According to Hyderabad Police, Chalasani Pandu met Mahender Reddy in Cherlapally Jail and they’ve partnered in Real Estate business. Chalasani Pandu came to Hyderabad for a Real Estate deal settlement with Mahender Reddy. Hyderabad Police said that Mahender Reddy has surrendered himself at Kukatpally Police Station after News channels flashed the death news of Chalasani Pandu.

Chalasani Pandu lost 1999 Elections by 1000 votes from Vuyyuru Assembly against TDP leader Anne Babu Rao. Then he joined Telugu Desam Party and competed In 2004 and 2009 elections, he again lost to Parathasaradhi by a 170 votes.

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WHO delists Shantha bestseller

NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: Shantha Biotech’s bread-winner vaccine has fallen out of favour with the World Health Organisation, or WHO, dealing the company a crippling blow and opening up opportunities for rivals such as Panacea Biotech, Serum Institute and Novartis.

The WHO said on July 28 that Shantha’s Shan5 vaccine is no longer on its list of pre-qualified medicines, in effect terminating what was a contract worth $340 million over three years. The WHO order last week sealed the fate of Shan5, whose future has been in doubt for months now, after a white sediment was found sticking to glass vials containing the vaccine.

Hyderabad-based Shantha is 80% owned by France’s Sanofi Aventis, which bought the company in July 2009.

“This is a vaccine version of Ranbaxy’s regulatory problems in the US. Since Shantha’s main revenue stream will be cut off, it may run into losses until it resumes sales of Shan5,” a pharmaceutical industry expert said.

Shan5 is estimated to account for more than three-fourths of the revenues of Shantha. The vaccine maker reported revenues of e17 million for the four months to December 2009, a Sanofi Aventis spokeswoman said. She did not say how much Shan5 earned.

Shan5 is a ‘five-in-one’ vaccine to protect infants against diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, hepatitis-B as well as a bacterium that causes diseases such as pneumonia and meningitis.

The WHO said it disqualified the vaccines after coming to the conclusion that the corrective action plan suggested by Shantha for dissolving the sediments detected in Shan5 vials would require a revised manufacturing procedure and hence new approvals. In April, the organisation had suspended the supply of Shan5 vaccines to Unicef following discovery of the sediments. The Indian company had recalled $72 million worth of vaccines and discontinued sale in the domestic retail market.

The WHO has also delisted Shantha’s tetravalent (DTwP-hepatitis B) vaccine and terminated ongoing prequalification evaluation process for a DTwP vaccine Shantrip as the two vaccines also use the pertussis component, the root cause that is linked with flaws in Shan5.

“The financial impact will depend on the ramp-up (of its) production. We are confident that Shantha will be able to resume production and supply of Shan5 and Shantetra in compliance with WHO requirements," the Shantha spokeswoman said. She added the decision to withdraw the prequalification for Shan5 is a precautionary measure and none of the information available so far suggests a safety problem.

The WHO has asked Shantha to reapply for prequalification, so that it can become eligible to resume supply of Shan5 and other vaccines to Unicef and other global health organisations. But the process of obtaining these approvals may take 2-3 years, industry executives said.

Shantha had started executing the supply order last year and it may have to reimburse Unicef and other buyers for transportation and storage charges for the vaccines. “We are working with Unicef to define the best way to compensate for the recall of Shan5 in the interest of public health," the company spokeswoman said.

The WHO had in October last year probed a similar vaccine manufactured by Delhi-based Panacea Biotech after four infants who had reportedly taken this vaccine died in Bhutan. The Indian company was given a clean chit.

The development with Shantha opens up an opportunity for other makers of five-in-one vaccines that have already been qualified by the WHO. Panacea Biotech, Serum Institute and Novartis are seen as potential gainers.

Several Indian drugmakers such as Ranbaxy and Sun Pharma have been pulled up by the American drug regulator for lapses in manufacturing standards in the past 2-3 years. But Shantha’s problems are a “company issue” and have nothing to do with the Indian vaccine industry, industry experts and executives with rival firms said.

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Father kills daughter, honour killing suspected

Hyderabad: A 26-year-old woman was allegedly killed by her father and two brothers in Hyderabad on Monday afternoon. They have reportedly slit her throat with a knife.

The woman was allegedly married but was also having an "extra-marital affair". The victim was married for the last ten years but she and her husband were living separately. Moreover, she had two children with whom she was staying.

She reportedly got closer to another man and her family objected to the matter.

Meanwhile, the woman's father and two brothers have now been charged with murder and are now in police custody.

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Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas schools, colleges closed today

HYDERABAD/MIRPURKHAS: Tension has blanketed Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas while all the schools in duo cities will remain closed on Tuesday following the tragic incident of targeted killing of MQM’s member provincial assembly Raza Haider, Geo News reported.

Many a incidents of firing was reported in two cities while unknown armed men were also seen forcing shopkeepers to pull down shutters in main and small markets in two cities.

Three people were injured after receiving bullets in Hyderabad, hospital sources said.

Tension and fear have gripped people in both cities, which led authorities to announce closure of all educational institutions in view of likely untoward situations.

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Partygoers had a gala time in Hyderabad

Partygoers headed to an up-market nightclub on a ladies night, to let their hair down and party hard.

The in-house DJ, spinning some of his best numbers, had the crowd dancing till they dropped. While the women burnt the dance floor with their steamy moves, the men made the most of this visual treat.

The combination of drinks on the house and good music undoubtedly has many regular takers every week. Tejuswini Chowdhury made a re-entry into the party circuit and was seen unwinding and having a gala time with close friends.

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CM initiates move to talk to Owaisi on quota

The Chief Minister, Mr K. Rosaiah, on Friday deputed the former minister and Sanathnagar MLA, Mr M. Shashidhar Reddy, to moot the idea along with MIM leader Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi for a separate resolution urging the Central government to provide political reservations to OBCs and minorities by including a sub-quota in the proposed reservation for women. Later, the MIM leader met the Chief Minister in the Assembly chambers and agreed to the proposal.

Following this, the Assembly set a new precedent by reviving the discussion on the General Budget and the customary reply by the Chief Minister, after the Deputy Speaker, Mr N. Manohar, termed it a closed chapter on Thursday.

Opposition members had criticised the Deputy Speaker’s abrupt winding up the discussion and adjournment of the House. Heeding their feelings, the Speaker, Mr N. Kirankumar Reddy, intervened in the issue and convened the business advisory committee (BAC) meeting that was attended by all party leaders, including the Chief Minister.

Opposition leaders attending the meeting said the discussion on a key issue like Budget could not be wound up just like that. Mr Rosaiah also told the BAC meeting that he had no objection in reviving the discussion though the revenue minister, Mr Dharmana Prasada Rao, pointed out that it would set a new precedent. The Speaker then asked his deputy to implement the BAC decision since it was he who adjourned the House in the first place.

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GHMC seals Hyderabad Central, nets Rs one crore

HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) on Tuesday sealed the Hyderabad Central, located in the busy Punjagutta area, as the owner of the shopping complex, SBPL Infrastructure, GSG Group, failed to clear property tax dues to the tune of Rs 2.8 crore accumulated since 2006.Later, GHMC withdrew the warrant for the time being after the property owner paid Rs 1 crore and gave an undertaking to the effect that the remaining amount would be paid within a week, according to GHMC Central Zone Commissioner Katamaneni Bhaskar.The GHMC officials, apart from sealing the mall, had also closed the PVR multiplex and seized movable properties including computers, servers, furnitures and other materials. Bhaskar said the move was in accordance with the HMC Act. ‘‘The GHMC, during the last three years, had been issuing notices and warrants to the property owner. GHMC bill collectors and tax inspectors had also approached the owner with a request to clear pending dues. As there was no response, the GHMC was forced to seal the shopping complex,’’ Bhaskar said.Hyderabad Central authorities clarified that the issue regarding the property tax payment was between the civic authorities and the property owners. Hyderabad Central is not responsible for what had happened. It will function as usual, they said.

from expressbuzz.com

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Indian Navy aircraft crashes into Hyderabad building, pilot dead

A trainer aircraft with the Indian Navy's aerobatics team, Sagar Pawan, crashed into a two-storied building during an air show in Hyderabad on Wednesday. The pilot has been killed, police said.

The aircraft, an HJT-16 Kiran Mk2 trainer built by Hindustan Aeronautics, crashed a couple of minutes before noon near the old Begumpet Airport in the heart of the city.

Thousands of people were enjoying the spectacle when disaster struck, sending thick clouds of smoke into the air.

The aircraft, part of the navy's aerobatics team that uses four trainers, was unable to pull up from a dive and went into a spiral as the planes were breaking away from the formation and going at different directions.

There were no casualties on the ground, police said.

According to witnesses, the plane had crashed into the mobile phone towers on top of the building. They heard a loud boom, after which the plane went down.

Residents were in a state of shock.

Said Ashok, who was in his house at the time: "I was inside the house when I heard a loud noise and I came out to see flames."

Indian Navy spokesman Commander P.V. Satish said in New Delhi that he had no details but confirmed the accident had taken place.

India navy craft crashes at show

The crash took place during an air show

An Indian navy aircraft taking part in an an air show in the southern city of Hyderabad has crashed.

Local TV channels showed pictures of the Suryakiran plane crashing into a residential area as it was performing an acrobatic routine.

Smoke could be seen rising from a building. It is not yet known what caused the crash.

The India Aviation 2010 show, a civil aviation exhibition, opened on Wednesday and will go till 7 March.

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