New Delhi - United States' Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director Leon Panetta held talks with Indian Home Minister P Chdiambaram Thursday on various issues including terrorism and the situation in neighbouring Pakistan, officials and news reports said.

Panetta is on his first overseas visit since being appointed head of the CIA by US President Barack Obama.

He is scheduled to leave for Pakistan later in the day.

Indian and US diplomatic officials described Panetta's meeting with the home minister as a courtesy call.

Amritsar, March 19 : Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), the highest governing body of Sikhs, has written a letter to Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh over the reported fire incident of a Gurdwara in East London (UK).

“The SGPC has written a letter to Dr. Manmohan Singh about Gurdwara Sahib burnt in East London (UK). It has also demanded a police investigation to know if it was an accident or anything else,” said Avtar Singh Makkar, the President SGPC.

Srinagar, Mar 19 : Hundreds of women separatists took to streets on Thursday to protest against alleged human rights violation in the region.

They raised slogans and brandished banners during the demonstration. They urged the State Government to check violation of rights in the Kashmir Valley.

New Delhi, Mar 19 : The owner of the IPL franchise Bangalore Royals, Vijay Mallya, on Thursday backed the tournament to pass off smoothly.

Addressing reporters here, Mallya said India had all the resources required to provide security during the tournament.

Kolkata, March 19 : On visiting a special village on the eastern fringes of Kolkata one can find several deaf and mute children learning to talk, mentally challenged children doing mathematics and the handicapped receiving vocational training.

‘Pratibandi’, the special village for the disabled, is today emerging as an example of self-sufficiency being gained by the differently-abled.