A soldier died and another was injured when an avalanche hit an Army post along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Thursday, police said.

 Widespread stone pelting, blocking of vehicles and incidents of violence and vandalism Thursday marked the dawn-to-dusk hartal called by the Hindu outfits in Kerala against the entry of two women of menstruating age into the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala, police said.

A 55-year-old man was mercilessly beaten to death by a mob of around 300 over suspicion of cattle theft in Bihar's Araria district. Kabul Miyan was kicked in the face, hit with sticks and repeatedly called chor (thief), show a couple of videos shot by attackers on their mobile phones.

The Supreme Court said Thursday that "prompt, immediate and effective" operation was required for rescuing 15 people who are trapped inside an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya since December 13.

As many as 19 members of the AIADMK and TDP were suspended on Thursday for four days by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan for repeatedly disrupting the proceedings of the House.

 The Supreme Court Thursday refused to accord urgent hearing on a contempt petition moved by a lawyers' group against Sabarimala temple authorities for closing the shrine after two women entered it.

Yogesh Raj, a key accused in the mob violence in Bulandshahr in which a police inspector and a civilian were killed, has been arrested, police said Thursday.

International Hindu Parishad president Pravin Togadia on Wednesday said he would launch a political party in a month's time and rope in candidates for almost all the seats in the upcoming Lok Sabha election.