Top Stories on 13th May in a capsule

62 killed, several injured in dust-storms in UP, Delhi, West Bengal & Andhra

At least 62 were killed and several injured in dust-storm that disrupted life in the country on Sunday. Over 39 were killed in Uttar Pradesh, 12 people including 4 children were killed due to lightning in West Bengal, 9 in Andhra Pradesh and 2 in Delhi as reported by news agency PTI. Two were killed in Bihar's Chhapra after Thunderstorms on Monday. Operations at Delhi airport came to a complete halt due to the dust storm causing diversions of 40 flights and delay of 25 flights. Strong winds knocked down nearly 200 trees and collapsing of walls was also reported from certain areas. Trains were delayed and roads were blocked in states where dust storm hit. The weather department has predicted the situation to remain the same on Monday.

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West Bengal Panchayat elections to be held today amidst tight security

The highly-anticipated West Bengal Panchayat Elections 2018 will be held across 20 districts between 7 am and 5 pm amid tight security on Monday. Around 1,500 security personnel from Assam, Odisha, Sikkim and Andhra Pradesh are in the state to reinforce security arrangements for the polls. They will aid around 46,000 personnel of the state police and 12,000 of the Kolkata Police, while the state government would use close to 2,000 security personnel from the departments of excise, prison and forests in manning the booths, West Bengal State Election Commission official said. Security forces yesterday conducted route marches in various parts of the state as part of security arrangements.
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Family of Suicide bombers attack 3 churches in Indonesia, killing 7

family of six suicide bombers, that included two young children, carried out deadly attacks on three churches in Indonesia's second-largest city on Sunday, police said. At least seven people plus the six bombers died in the attacks in Surabaya, according to police. At least 41 people were injured in the attacks, which Indonesia's president condemned as "barbaric." The father exploded a car bomb, two sons aged 18 and 16 used a motorcycle for their attack, and the mother was with daughters aged 12 and 9 for her attack. The ISIS claimed responsibility for Sunday's attacks in a statement carried by its Aamaq news agency. Indonesia's two largest Muslim organizations, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah condemned the attacks.
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Tomato prices crash in Punjab, Haryana due to bulk supplies

Tomato prices have fallen from last month’s Rs 20 to Rs 30 per kg in retail to Rs 7-15 per kg during the past two weeks in Punjab and Haryana due to bulk supplies in the market. Farmers in Punjab, Haryana and at some other places had planted tomatoes in large numbers this season and prices have crashed as bulk supplies were reaching the markets, traders said.
Farmers claim that prices of tomato in the wholesale markets were fetching them mere Rs 2-3 per kg. However, prices of most vegetables continued to remain stable across both the states, including Chandigarh.
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3 RJD workers killed while returning from Tej Pratap's wedding

Four people, including three RJD leaders, were killed in an accident in Simraha while returning from the wedding of Lalu Prasad’s son Tej Pratap Yadav. The wedding attendees were on their way from Patna to Kishanganj when the SUV they were travelling in met with an accident in Simraha’s Pothiya area on the intervening night to Saturday and Sunday. According to Forbesganj SHO M Haideri, the deceased have been identified as RJD district president Intekhab Alam, former minister Islamuddin Baghi’s son Ikramul Haq, RJD Dighalbank head Pappu and the driver. The victims were identified through their identity cards and other documents available in the car.

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