Three killed, two injured as building collapses in secunderabad monda market

Secunderabad,:  Three persons died and two others sustained injuries after a portion of a building collapsed in the busy Monda Market in Secunderabad, police said.

The incident occurred at around 3.30 pm 25^th February  when slabs of the three-storied building, which was being demolished for constructing a new structure, suddenly collapsed on some vendors on the road, they said.

"Bodies of 3 men were removed from the debris while two others who were trapped have been rescued," a senior police officer monitoring the rescue operation told PTI.

He said rescue efforts would continue as it is suspected that some more persons are feared trapped beneath the collapsed component

Hyderabad Police Commissioner A K Khan, who visited the area, said, "It's a clear case of negligence and police teams have been formed to nab the owners of the building, who are on the run."

Meanwhile, National Disaster Management Authority Vice Chairman and Sanathnagar MLA M Shashidhar Reddy, who inspected the relief and rescue operation, told reporters that if disaster management plan was in place, it could have seeded up the rescue work.

Australia beat India by 87 runs to qualify for finals in Tri series

Australia(Sydney cricket ground): Indian batting was at it's miserable worst as the visitors were bundled out on 165 runs by Australia in the 10th ODI of the ongoing CB Series, here on Sunday.

Chasing 253 for a win and points, the Indian openers in Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar left early. Second over from the hosts and Sehwag smacked the ball right back to the bowler, to return with 5 runs to his name. Tendulkar joined his partner in the seventh over when he was run out by David Warner. The master blaster had 14 runs with 2 boundaries, leaving the ground fuming as he found Brett Lee in his path while trying to complete the run, unsuccessfully.

Gautam Gambhir on the other end struck a few boundaries but looked tentative for most parts of his innings. It seemed to even rub-off on Virat Kohli who surrendered to stand-in skipper Shane Watson's bowling. A lazy flick fro Kohli (21) and Daniel Christian swallowed a rather simple catch at midwicket. Gambhir (23) followed in the next over, leaving his stumps shattered by an inside edge off McKay's bowling.

Watson rallied his bowlers well and did not ease the pressure on India even momentarily. The collapse turned into a cricketing holocaust as Suresh Raina (8) and Ravindra Jadeja (8) departed without having any impact on the proceedings.

It was then that the Indian batting showed some signs of life as Irfan Pathan and R Ashwin stitched together a 30-run stand for the 8th wicket with some entertaining shots beyond the boundary. Once Ashwin (26) fell to Xavier Doherty, it was all over in favour of Australia.

Earlier in the day, Australia posted an unconvincing 9 for 252 with David Warner scoring 68. David Hussey (54) and Matthew Wade (56) had useful contributions in the innings as well.

N.Prasanna Kumar Reddy, filed his nomination for Kovur Assembly

Accompanied by party leaders, Y.S.R Congress party candidate,  Prasanna Kumar Reddy, filed his nomination for Kovur Assembly by-election on Saturday.

YSR Congress leaders reiterated that their party would win the Kovur election by a vast margin regardless of the combined efforts being made by the ruling Congress and TD to defeat its candidate.

Speaking to reporters, Mr. YS Rajamohan Reddy and Mr. Prasanna Kumar asserted that the public mood was clearly in favour of their party and that the other parties would have to fight for the second position.

In this by-election, Mr. Prasanna Kumar Reddy faces a peculiar fight with his own maternal uncle, Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, a vociferous critic in the run-up to the by-elections.

In 1993, when N. Srinivasulu Reddy passed away, and by-election was held in Kovur, Mr. Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy had given his support to his nephew Prasanna Kumar.

Ys Vivekananda meets Kiran, seeks Rajya Sabha seat

Former Minister Vivekananda Reddy called on CM N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and urged him to consider fielding him for the Rajya Sabha elections in April this year.

Mr. Vivekananda Reddy, who served as the Agriculture Minister for a brief while, quit after losing the by-elections from Pulivendula assembly constituency last year.

Subsequently, his term for the Legislative Council was not renewed. He was in Delhi earlier to press his case with Congress leaders for the Rajya Sabha ticket.

Speaking to reporters after his meeting with the Chief Minister, Mr. Vivekananda Reddy, who is late Y.S.R younger brother, said he hoped that he would be considered for the RS nomination.

Six Rajya Sabha members from the State, including four from the Congress, will be retiring in April.

They are: Dasari Narayana Rao, G. Sanjeeva Reddy, Rashid Alvi, K. Keshava Rao (all Congress), M. V. Mysoora Reddy (Telugu Desam Party) and Aziz Pasha (Communist Party of India).

The strength of Congress party in the Assembly is 171, including16 of the erstwhile Praja Rajyam. But, 16 rebel Congress members are facing disqualification bringing down the real strength of the ruling party to 155.

It can ensure victory of three candidates easily but will have to struggle to get the fourth seat.

The Telugu Desam Party on the other can easily bag two seats.

Race hots up

Party sources said the lobbying for Congress tickets has already started with names of erastwhile Praja Rajyam chief K. Chiranjeevi and Renuka Chowdary doing the rounds while Mr. Keshava Rao is making a determined attempt to seek re-nomination.

 Chiranjeevi is confident that the Congress leadership would fulfil its promise of giving him due position after merger of his party last year.

Ms. Renuka Chowdary, who lost the Khammam Lok Sabha seat in 2009, is using her connections in Delhi to get the nomination.

A vocal Telangana protagonist, Dr. Keshava Rao is trying for another term in the hope that the party could ill afford to disappoint the people of the region by ignoring him.

A section of Telangana Congress leaders are also pitching in his privilege.