New Delhi, Feb 19 (PTI) These are the top stories from the northern region at 5.15 pm

These are the top stories from the northern region at 5.15 pm SRINAGAR DEL18 JK-LD PULWAMA Srinagar: The Pakistan Army and its espionage agency ISI were involved in the car bomb attack that left 40 CRPF personnel dead, a top Army official said on Tuesday, also sending out the message that anyone picking up the gun in Kashmir would be eliminated unless he surrenders. VARANASI DEL39 UP-PM-2NDLD-CASTE Varanasi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday invoked poet-saint Guru Ravidas on his birth anniversary, urging people to end caste discrimination and identify those who promote it in their "self interest".

JAIPUR DEL17 RJ-MARRIAGE LD ACCIDENT Jaipur: A speeding truck ploughed into a marriage procession in Rajasthan's Pratapgarh district, leaving nine people, including four children, dead and 19 others injured, police said on Tuesday. DEHRADUN DES20 UKD-KASHMIRIS-INSTITUTES Dehradun: Clarifying on their statements of not granting admission to students from Kashmir, two city-based colleges Tuesday said they were under pressure and no decision of such sort has been taken by their management.

BIKANER DES4 RJ-PAKISTANIS-ORDER Bikaner (Raj): Pakistani citizens in Rajasthan's Bikaner have been asked to leave within 48 hours, district officials said, citing law and order situation in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. DEHRADUN DEL37 UKD-BLAST-LD MAJOR FUNERAL Dehradun: Thousands of people turned up on the banks of river Ganga in Haridwar Tuesday to bid a tearful farewell to Major Vibhuti Shankar Dhoundiyal, who died fighting terrorists in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.

REWARI DES7 HR-JK-ENCOUNTER-JAWAN Rewari (Har): The last rites of Sepoy Hari Singh, who was killed in an encounter with militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district, were performed at his native village here on Tuesday with full military honours. ALIGARH (UP) DES17 UP-AMU Aligarh: Students of the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) ended their six-day-old agitation here to protest against the booking of 14 students under sedition charges, after a meeting between varsity administration, district officials and leaders of the students' union.

ALLAHABAD DES2 UP-KUMBH-MAGHI PURNIMA Allahabad: Chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Ganga Maiya Ki Jai' rented the air as lakhs of devotees took dip at Sangam — the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers — here on the auspicious occasion of Maghi Purnima. CHANDIGARH NRG3 HR-SESSION Chandigarh: The two-week long Haryana Assembly's Budget session beginning Wednesday is likely to be a stormy affair, with the opposition set to corner the BJP-led government on several issues including law and order and farmers' plight.

JAMMU NRG5 JK-PROTESTS Jammu: Protests were held Tuesday in Jammu city against the Pulwama terror attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, even as curfew remained in force here following massive demonstrations. LAKHIMPURKHERI DES5 UP-SNAKE Lakhimpur Kheri (UP): A rare Indian snake species - Red Coral Kukri- has been sighted in the Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR) here after a gap of 82 years, park officials said Tuesday.

PTI ASH ASH.