HIGHLIGHTS

Following are the top stories at 5.20 pm:

CAL31 AS-CITIZENSHIP-2NDLD PROTEST Anti-CAB stir: People defy curfew, police open fire as Assam resembles war zone

Guwahati: Thousands of people defied curfew in Guwahati on Thursday and took to the streets, prompting police to open fire, even as protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill intensified in Assam.

LGD21 SC-LD AYODHYA

SC dismisses pleas seeking review of Nov 9 Ayodhya case verdict New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday dismissed a batch of petitions seeking review of its November 9 Ayodhya land dispute case verdict which cleared the way for construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site.

CAL21 JH-LD MODI

Safeguarding interests of NE people BJP govt's priority: Modi Dhanbad: Allaying fears of the people of the northeast over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted his government would safeguard their language, culture and identity "under all circumstances".

CAL25 WB-MAMATA

Mamata convenes meeting of MPs, MLAs to chalk out strategy for countering citizenship bill Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday convened a meeting of party MPs and MLAs on December 20 to devise the party's strategy to counter the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

LGD17 SC-2ND LD ENCOUNTER

Telangana encounter deaths: SC orders judicial inquiry, to be headed by its ex-judge VS Sirpurkar New Delhi: The Supreme Court appointed on Thursday a three-member inquiry commission headed by former apex court judge V S Sirpurkar to inquire into the circumstances leading to the encounter killing of the four accused in the gang-rape and murder of a veterinarian in Telangana.

LGD4 SC-CITIZENSHIP-IUML IUML moves SC challenging Citizenship (Amendment) Bill

New Delhi: The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) moved the Supreme Court on Thursday challenging the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, a day after it was passed in the Rajya Sabha completing the legislative process for giving Indian citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

DEL46 BANGLA-VISIT-LD CANCEL

Hours before scheduled arrival, Bangladesh Foreign Minister cancels India visit New Delhi, Dec 12 (PTI) Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen has cancelled his three-day visit to India which was supposed to begin on Thursday.

DEL36 AS-AIRPORT-PASSENGERS Amid curfew, passengers stranded at Guwahati airport as Assam remains on boil

Guwahati: Hundreds of passengers remained stranded at the Guwahati airport on Thursday due to indefinite curfew and Internet clampdown in the city as Assam continued to remain on the boil over the citizenship bill. By Kunal Dutt

DEL47 UP-HANGMEN- LD NIRBHAYA Tihar Jail asks UP for two hangmen, speculation over Nirbhaya killers' execution

Lucknow: The Tihar Jail in Delhi has asked Uttar Pradesh to provide two hangmen on short notice, amid reports that four men convicted in the Nirbhaya rape-and-murder case may be executed soon.

DEL67 AVI-CITIZENSHIP-LD FLIGHTS Airlines cancel flights to Assam

New Delhi: Airlines on Thursday cancelled flights to various places in Assam in the wake of unrest in the state.

BOM13 MH-LD NCP-SENA-GOVT Sena's support to CAB in LS won't affect Maharashtra govt: NCP

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena holding a different view on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha than its allies NCP and Congress in Maharashtra will not have a bearing on the longevity of the state government and it will run for full five years, the NCP said on Thursday.