Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan Dies Aged 74, Other Top Stories

Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, a socialist and anti-Emergency crusader who broke through Bihar's deeply caste-stratified society to establish himself at the highest level of Indian politics in a career spanning five decades, died of heart failure in New Delhi on Thursday. He was 74, the daily reported.

The state government is contemplating convening a two-day Assembly session to introduce the New Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Bill, to amend some features of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955, the daily reported.

The four men accused in the Hathras rape and murder case have written to the Hathras Superintendent of Police, claiming they are "innocent" and that the 19-year-old woman was beaten up by her brother and mother on September 14, the day of the incident, because they were "against our friendship". The letter which is written by the prime accused Sandeep and also carries the thumb prints of the Luv Kush, Ram Kumar and Ravi was sent to the SP late on Wednesday evening, The Asian Age reported.