Sensex loses 174.42 points

Sensex loses 174.42 points

Mumbai, Dec 18: A benchmark index of the Indian equities markets, dragged down by heavy selling in blue chip stocks like Reliance, Bharti Airtel and ICICI Bank, plunged on Friday to end 174 points lower than its previous close.

The sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 16,855.91 points, fell sharply in the last 30 minutes of trade to 16,719.83 points, down 174.42 points or 1.03 percent from its previous close at 16,894.25 points. At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty also lost heavily to shut shop at 4,987.7 points, against the previous close at 5,041.75 points, a loss of 54.05 points or 1.07 per cent.

I came to Mumbai to act in films, never seen an AK-47: Kasab

I came to Mumbai to act in films, never seen an AK-47: Kasab

Mumbai, Dec 18: In a dramatic turn around, the lone captured Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir alias Kasab on Friday retracted his confession made earlier saying that he had come to Mumbai to work in Bollywood films and had never seen an AK-47 rifle in his life.

Retracting the confession made before a magistrate on February 20 this year, Kasab told a special court that he had come to Mumbai at least 20 days before the 26/11 terror attacks. “I was arrested three days before the 26/11 attacks, when I was going around Juhu area with some friends. I was in police custody at the time of the attacks,” he told the stunned courtroom. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said that he had always anticipated that Kasab would retract his confessional statement.