Temples in Kerala were shut last Friday, during the time the partial solar eclipse happened. "This has been the practice before too and after the eclipse takes place, temples would open immediately after a purification ceremony is done," said P. Narayanan, Travancore Devasom Board (TDB) member. TDB runs the affairs of various temples, including the famed Sabarimala temple, in south Kerala. The Kerala State Science and Technology Museum made extensive arrangements on its campus for people to view the event.

A global anti-poverty charity wants the hallowed St. Paul’s cathedral in London to be demolished in protest against the move by a British mining company to extract bauxite from a mountain in the Indian state of Orissa which is considered sacred by a resident tribe. ActionAid raised this demand in an application to the governing body of St. Paul’s to highlight its opposition to mining activities of Vendanta Resources Plc at the Niyamgiri mountain. The mountain is revered by the 8,000-strong Kondh tribe which lives there, it said, adding that investors should be appalled their money is backing the desecration of a sacred Indian site.

The Bahraini sponsor of three Indian workers has allegedly demanded $8,000 to release them so that they can go home. The three workers have now lodged a complaint with Bahrain’s labour ministry and the Indian embassy. They also alleged that their salaries for four months were unpaid. The three have now been provided shelter at a worksite, which has no electricity. The Indian embassy has not been able to get in touch with the sponsor, according to a news report.

Over 500 private Blueline bus drivers have been fined for playing loud music while driving. "They play loud music while driving on roads, causing annoyance and nuisance to the passengers. It also causes embarrassment and harassment of female passengers travelling in the buses," said S.N. Srivastva, joint commissioner of police. The private Blueline buses have earned notoriety for killing at least 50 people on Delhi roads this year alone. Police said they would take strict action against people playing music at high volume in Blueline buses and private cars or using DVD screen in the front panel.

The Delhi Government has asked local cops to tackle the "menace" of kite flying that has been blamed for incidents of shorting out electricity supply in the capital. "Kite-flying has become a big nuisance in the city because of tripping in recent days due to contact of metallic manja (thread) which is used by kite-fliers," a government official said. Meanwhile, power companies have been asked to provide uniforms to all field staff by Aug. 15 to thwart imposters.

Three members of a notorious gang of bikers allegedly involved in at least five shootings in July, have been arrested in the capital. Two of the gang members, including the kingpin Om Prakash alias Bunty, are still at large. Delhi Police had declared a reward of about $1,500 each to anyone providing information about the gang members after they allegedly killed five people in south and east Delhi in July. The biker gang first made news on July 5 when its members gunned down property dealer outside his residence.

P.K. Abhilash has arrived home after 74 days in captivity in the jungles of Sudan. The 27-year-old and three other Indians and their Sudanese driver had been kidnapped May 13 while they were returning from the Neem oil field to Heglig in Sudan. They were working for Petro Energy, which provides services to the Greater Nile Petroleum Operating Company (GNPOC).