Kolkata

Two buses were reportedly set ablaze today by protesting Trinamool Congress-backed auto-rickshaw operators who were agitating against a court ban on ageing public transport vehicles in the city.

The strike turned violent with irate auto drivers vandalising a government bus at Park Circus.

The agitators turned violent, and stoned and set fire to a West Bengal Transport Corporation bus. The bus was only partially damaged as locals managed to douse the flames. No one was injured.

Commuters today faced immense problems in West Bengal after transporters called for a day long strike to protest against Section 304 of Indian Penal Code, under which bus drivers are arrested for negligence in all accident cases.

Private buses were off the roads in Kolkata in response to the strike call by Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).

The commuters complained they were facing a lot of problems because of frequent strike calls.

Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders have signed up young New South Wales all-rounder Moises Henriques for 300,000 dollars.

Henriques''s contract is believed to be heavily incentive-based, but it still stands to make him the highest-paid junior cricketer in Australia, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

The St George all-rounder said he was unaware whether the contract had been finalised, although Kolkata chief executive Joy Bhattacharya confirmed terms had been agreed upon.

Intellectuals and celebrities led a candlelight vigil here last evening against the Mumbai attacks.

Filmmakers Mrinal Sen and Aparna Sen, writer Sunil Gangopadhyay and singer Usha Uthup participated in the rally to denounce terror.

The group sang songs and lit candles in the memory of the victims of the recent terrorist attacks that killed at least 183 people and injured scores more.

Singer Usha Uthup appealed to remain united in the face of terrorism.

As cars roll into the parking lot of the shopping mall off the Eastern Bypass in Kolkata, the drivers are met with women parking attendants, a rare sight in India.

These women guide the cars into the earmarked slots. They put on the parking tickets and even collect the money with great aplomb.

An initiative by the Sabita Swanirbhar Goshti, this parking attendants venture has provided gainful employment to 11 underprivileged women in the Santoshpur area.

The women were struggling to make ends meet when Goshti came up with the idea.

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has claimed that the blast at Salboni was an attempt to kill West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee as part of a design to stall industrial and development activities in the state.

Referring to the suspected Maoist attack on a convoy minutes after the chief minister had driven through the area in West Midnapore district on Sunday, CITU state General Secretary Kali Ghose said, "this is a sinister gameplan of anti-left and reactionary forces who have combined to stall all industrial and development activities in the state."

The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) has claimed that the blast at Salboni was an attempt to kill West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee as part of a design to stall industrial and development activities in the state.

Referring to the suspected Maoist attack on a convoy minutes after the chief minister had driven through the area in West Midnapore district on Sunday, CITU state General Secretary Kali Ghose said, "this is a sinister gameplan of anti-left and reactionary forces who have combined to stall all industrial and development activities in the state."

Tata Motors chairman Ratan Tata today said that he was moving the “Nano” project out of Singur because of the agitation by the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, and not because of any failure on the part of the West Bengal Government.

He also said the format of the agitation had made them wonder from where the funds had come and what really lay behind the agitation.

Nano Car that has been raising a lot of dust on the land allotted to the TATA''s at Singur, has found its way to a makeshift tent in Kolkata.

With the hugely popular five-day festival of ''Durga Puja'' just round the corner the organisers in Kolkata have come out with a unique idea to press their demand to let TATA''s continue at Sindur.

Durga Puja is the time when devotees flow in large numbers and offer prayers to the goddess of supreme power, Durga.

Theme based Pandals and magnificently designed idols form an integral part of the festival.

Thousands of Hindus gathered on the banks of the Ganges river in Kolkata and prayed for the salvation of their ancestors on the occasion of ''Mahalya'' on Monday.

According to the Hindu almanac, ''Mahalaya'' marks the conclusion of ''Piter Paksha'', the fortnight during which people hold special religious rituals for the deceased kin particularly ancestors and heralds ''Devi Paksha'' or the fortnight-long festival of Hindu goddess Durga.

Several devouts thronged the river bank to perform religious rituals, make offerings to their ancestors and to take a holy dip.