Pune, Mar 5 : Harleen Chopra of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) created history today by becoming the first-ever Indian woman cadet to command a passing out parade in Pune.

Chopra, a medical cadet, commanded the parade of 103 graduates who would be commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services.

"Basically it is an honour and a privilege to be doing this in my college. I once again thank all those who were responsible for guiding me throughout this process," said Chopra.

CCTVs, flying squads will keep a close watch on malpractices

The Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examination conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education will begin on Thursday.

Over 2.51 lakh students will appear for the SSC exam from the Pune division, which covers Pune, Ahmednagar and Solapur districts. Board officials said there are 446 exam centres in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

To keep a close tab on exam-related irregularities including copying, 245 flying squads (seven for each district) have been appointed across the state.

Days after Lalita Shivarkar (18) — a resident of Alandi Mhatobachi ended her life after finding it difficult to cope with the exam pressure, counsellors in the city have stressed that a congenial environment should be created by educational institutions and parents to mentally prepare their children for the exams.

Shivarkar, who was appearing for the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) exams, consumed poison on February 2 at her residence, after failing to cope with the pressure.

The university had registered an FIR in recruitment scam

Judicial magistrate (first class) AK Mandavgade on Wednesday remanded the University of Pune's (UoP) section officer from the administration department RH Attar in police custody till Saturday.

Attar, who hails from Sangamner, was arrested by the city police on Tuesday night.

The city police had earlier arrested the university's assistant registrar MS Gaikwad (53) of Sus Road and produced him in the court.

The city crime branch claimed to have busted a racket involved in stealing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from domestic cylinders in Thergaon.

The crime branch officials arrested two suspects in the case. The agency seized 39 domestic cylinders meant for distribution in Wakad, Thergaon and adjoining areas, two commercial cylinders and two auto rickshaw cylinders worth Rs2 lakh.

The police found that the suspects had transferred 53 kg of gas into the empty cylinders from 31 sealed cylinders.

The Act is meant to stop trafficking of girls and prostitution in city

The social security cell of the city crime branch has been delegated with the powers to file cases under stringent norms of Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 (PITA), meant to stop prostitution and trafficking of females across the city.

Earlier, it was only the assistant commissioner of police of the crime branch who was vested with powers to file the cases. Under the new rule, the police inspector heading the social security cell will be able to file cases under the PITA.

Every year, the city police rescue around 400 women and minor girls forced into prostitution by the brothel keepers, massage centre operators and others under the special act.