Linking school education to the country's economic growth, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal on Saturday pitched for good pay packages for teachers to attract the "best minds".

Situation in the curfew-bound areas of the city is under control with the police arresting nearly 125 persons for indulging in violence after a religious place was defiled.

After an all-party meeting in Patna today, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asked the Maoists to release the three abducted policemen and said it was ready for dialogue with them over the issue.

India on Saturday said it would not like the contentious issue to "stick out like a sloth arm" ahead of President Barack Obama's visit.

Writing in his blog, L K Advani said surveys conducted by even pro-Pakistan persons have found that most people in the state do not support merger with Pakistan.

On a trip to galvanise his party in Bihar ahead of the Assembly polls, Rahul Gandhi today accused CM Nitish Kumar of maintaining a double face on relationship with BJP.

Adding insult to injury, the college today sacked T J Joseph whose hand was chopped off by PFI activists for preparing a Malayalam question paper with alleged derogatory references to Prophet Muhammad.

The Shiv Sena on Saturday raised the issue of Sonia Gandhi's foreign origins once again and wondered if there was a "man" in the Congress party, a day after Gandhi was re-elected party chief for a record fourth successive term.

Addressing National Award winning teachers on the eve of Teacher's Day at his residence, Manmohan Singh said teaching has always been considered a "noble profession".

A Maoist spokesman said the rebels would provide an audio CD containing the voices of the three policemen kidnapped on Sunday from Lakhisarai district.

Curfew was on Saturday imposed in two police station areas of the city following arson after a religious place was defiled, police said.

Life in the Kashmir Valley was on Saturday limping back to normal with people defying the strike called by the separatists.

Interior minister Rehman Malik said that the trial of the Pakistani suspects has run into problems over the issue of Indian witnesses testifying via video-conferencing as this is not allowed under Pakistani laws.

All the students, who are in the age group of 8-13 years, are being treated in the Azamgarh district hospital. Doctors said the condition of three is critical.

With some incidents of harsh punishments meted out to children apparently weighing heavy on his mind, PM Manmohan Singh said the school environment should be "free from fear, trauma and anxiety" to make the Right to Education a grand national movement.