New Delhi  - Indian stock markets slipped into the red in morning trade on Monday with the benchmark Sensex index trading about 3.5 per cent lower than its previous close.

The 30-share sensitive Sensex index of the Bombay Stock Exchange was trading at 9,698 points at 12:20 pm (0650 GMT) 350.49 points lower than its 10,048.49 point close on Friday.

The Sensex had gained 1,081.81 points or 12.06 per cent during a five-day long bull run last week.

New Delhi, Mar. 30 : The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex has plunged below 10,000 points by losing 250.43 points in opening trade due to profit-selling by funds amid weak trends on the global markets.

The 30-share Sensex, which had gained nearly 1,070 points, or 12.06 per cent in last week, slipped by 251.43 points, or 2.45 per cent in opening trade as funds and retail investors preferred to book profits at prevailing attractive levels.

All the sectoral indices were trading in negative zone with losses up to 3.48 percent.

According to experts, the healthcare system of India needs improvement.

The professionals also said that the country’s healthcare system should be decentralised and revamped so that it cater people in both urban as well as rustic regions.

According to official sources, around 60,000 devotees from all over India visited the holy shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi to seek the blessings of the Divine Mother in her three manifestations during the first two days of the Chaitra Navratras that started on March 27.

M K Dwivedi, additional Chief Executive Officer of the shrine board, said that more than 6.5 million pilgrims visit the shrine every year, and the number of pilgrims is rising year-on-year.

Mumbai, Mar 29 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan on Sunday said that the Bollywood actor-turned-politician Govinda has expressed unwillingness to contest the upcoming general elections.

"Govinda has declined the offer to contest the Lok Sabha elections again," Chavan told reporters at State Congress party office here.

Govinda is the Congress MP from Mumbai North parliamentary constituency. He won the 2004 Lok Sabha elections from the constituency after defeating the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Ram Naik.

Pilibhit, Mar 29 : Former Union Minister and mother of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi, Maneka Gandhi, on Sunday said registration of cases against her son was part of a `political conspiracy'.

"The registration of cases against Varun is part of a political conspiracy. It is frivolous. Varun is not a criminal. It is incorrect to register cases against him," Maneka told reporter after meeting her son in the district jail.