Ranchi, Jan. 26 : As the nation marked the 60th Republic Day on Monday in different parts of the country, maoists in Jharkhand's Palamu district hoisted black flags atop several building and institutions to protest against the government's policies on this occasion.

Black flags were seen flying over several government offices across the district.

Earlier, maoists had also given a public call for a boycott of the Republic day celebrations.

Patna, Jan 22, : Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday said that the Indian Railways have commenced the process for a Bullet train that will run between Delhi and Patna.

"We will introduce a bullet train between Delhi and Patna for which the Railways are going to appoint a consultant for presenting a feasibility report," Lalu, who is also the RJD chief, told a public meeting here.

The Bihar Chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has asked the Nitish Kumar government to enact a law or introduce a bill that provides security to the medical professionals and institutions of the state.

With the intention to revivify and expand the agro-based industries in Bihar, state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bihar State Sugar Corporation Ltd and Bihar government.

The MoU was signed to take over sugar mills situated at Sugauli and Lauriya in East and West Champaran for 60 years lease (that could be extended for another 30 years).

Gautam Goswami, a 1991 batch IAS officer and a key accused in the Rs 170 million ($3.86 million) Bihar flood relief scam of 2004, died of pancreatic cancer at a private nursing home in Patna on Tuesday morning.

 Goswami, who was named Time magazine's Asian hero in 2005, had been battling cancer for the past several months. He had been shifted from Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) to the private nursing home on Saturday after his condition deteriorated further due to kidney impairment.