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Fri, 29 November 2024
Brrr! Mumbai shivers at 16.5 degrees C
Timeline Refresh
Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu
20:53 Samantha Ruth Prabhu's father passes away
Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu on Friday evening shared the heartbreaking news of her father Joseph Prabhu's demise.
Taking to Instagram Story, Samantha penned an emotional note.
On a black background, the Citadel star wrote, "Until we meet again, Dad". Her post was accompanied by a broken heart emoji.
Speaking to ANI, a member from Samantha's team confirmed the news. The spokesperson also requested fans and members of the media to give her and her family some privacy.
The exact cause of his death is yet to be known.
The heartwrenching news comes at a time when a time when Samantha is basking in the success of her Prime Video show 'Citadel', which also stars Varun Dhawan. -- ANI
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20:18 Brrr! Mumbai shivers at 16.5 degrees C; coldest Nov day in 8 yrs
Mumbai recorded a minimum temperature of 16.5 degrees Celsius, its lowest in November in the last eight years, the India meteorological department said on Friday.
This temperature was recorded by the Santacruz observatory from Thursday night till Friday morning.
Before this, this weather station had recorded the minimum temperature of 16.3 degrees Celsius on November 11, 2016, said Sushma Nair, scientist at the IMD Mumbai.
The Santacruz observatory records weather parameters for Mumbai's suburbs.
The Colaba observatory in the metropolis, which records weather parameters for the island city, registered a minimum temperature of 21.4 degrees Celsius during the same period.
Nair said there is no cold wave alert for Maharashtra from November 30 to December 3, and temperature is set to rise. -- PTI
20:07 11 killed, 23 injured as state transport bus overturns in Maharashtra's Gondia
At least 11 passengers were killed and 23 others injured after a Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation bus overturned in Gondia district of the state on Friday afternoon, the police said.
The bus, operated under the service name 'Shiv Shahi', was carrying 36 passengers and heading to Gondia district from Bhandara in eastern Maharashtra when it flipped over at Davva village under Sadak Arjuni taluka after its driver applied brakes to avoid hitting a two-wheeler that suddenly came in the front, a senior police official said.
"Eleven passengers were killed and 23 others injured in the accident which took place at around 12.30 pm," he said.
The injured passengers were shifted to different hospitals, the official added.
The deceased included a 32-year-old woman police personnel, identified as Smita Suryavanshi from Morgaon in Gondia, the police said.
Of the 11 deceased passengers, nine have been identified so far, while the identity of two others in their 50s is yet to be ascertained, he said. -- PTI
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19:46 Maha's Tulja Bhavani temple to go under repair; work orders of Rs 58 cr issued
The famous Tulja Bhavani temple in Maharashtra's Dharashiv district will undergo repairs and conservation work, during which unauthorised constructions on the premises will be pulled down, an official has said.
The famous 12th century temple dedicated to Goddess Tulja Bhavani is located at Tuljapur and draws a large number of devotees from across the state and outside.
This protected monument is maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India.
Talking to reporters on Thursday, Dharashiv district collector Sachin Ombase said, "The temple will undergo repairing and conservation work in two phases. Work orders of Rs 58 crore have been issued."
"Some structures, constructed on the temple premises without permission, will be demolished. Two agencies have been appointed to carry out the work. The main stone structure will be brought to its original form and the problem of seepage will be fixed," he said.
As per the official document, the office of the temple trust, a police chowki, changing room, newly-constructed temples, store room and sheds will be removed from the premises.
Similarly, sheds raised for aarti, a guard room, among other constructions, will also be razed.
But the Goumukh Tirth Datta temple, Matangi temple, Raje Shahaji entry gate, Nimbalkar Dwar, Martand Rishi temple and nearly 10 other temples on the premises of the main temple will undergo conservation and repair work, it said.
It will take 18 to 24 months to complete the repair work, it added.
The remaining temples on the premises will be repaired and stone flooring will be laid there.
A ramp and a lift will also be installed for differently-abled and elderly devotees visiting the temple, it added. -- PTI
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19:21 Porter working with Army injured in landmine blast in J-K's Poonch
A porter working with the Army was injured in a landmine blast in a forward area along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Friday, officials said.
The porter was engaged in some work in the forward area when a landmine exploded, resulting in injuries, they said.
He was immediately shifted to an Army hospital.
According to doctors, his left foot was damaged, but he is out of danger, the officials said.
The porter has been identified as Mohd Qasim, a resident of Noonabandi. -- PTI
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19:08 NSG deployed in Jammu anti-terror ops
Additional director general of police, Jammu Zone, Anand Jain on Friday said the deployment of National Security Guard has been done in Jammu to assist the security forces.
The ADGP said massive search operations are underway in the Jammu region to dismantle the terror ecosystem and networks.
"We are receiving support from specialised forces. The deployment of the NSG has taken place. We are ready to face any eventuality," Jain said while responding to a question about the deployment of the NSG in Jammu in light of the threat perception.
A special unit of the NSG, the country's premier counter-terrorism force, has been stationed in Jammu following a recent spike in terror attacks in the region.
The counter-terrorism unit has been deployed in the city under instructions from the ministry of home affairs.
The ADGP said massive search operations are going on in all the districts of the Jammu region to crack down on the terror ecosystem and networks to eliminate their presence.
"We have conducted searches across all districts of the Jammu division against the support base of overground workers following the registration of cases. A large number of people have been questioned and searches will continue against terrorists and their supporters," he said.
The ADGP further said efforts are being made to stamp out terrorist infrastructure.
"We have searched over 50 locations in various districts.
Cracking down on terrorist operatives and their infrastructure remains a priority," he said. -- PTI
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18:17 Priyanka, Rahul to address meeting in Wayanad tomorrow
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who took oath as the MP of Wayanad, will be holding a joint public meeting with her brother and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi in the hill constituency on November 30, party sources said on Friday. This will be her first visit as MP of the constituency.
Priyanka had scored her maiden electoral victory by winning the Wayanad Lok Sabha bypoll with a huge margin of 4,10,931 votes, which is bigger than the lead her brother Rahul secured when he won from the constituency during the Lok Sabha general elections held early this year.
Holding up a copy of the Constitution, Priyanka took oath as a Lok Sabha MP on Thursday to begin her journey as an elected representative of the people five years after she joined active politics.
The joint public meeting will be held at Mukkam in Thiruvambadi assembly constituency in Kozhikode district by noon on Saturday, party sources said.
Subsequently, receptions will be held for her at Karulai in Nilambur, Wandoor, and Edavanna in Eranad by 2.15 pm, 3.30 pm and 4.30 pm respectively, the sources added. -- PTI
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18:02 SC, HCs rejected 40 pleas against EVM: Govt in LS
As many as 42 petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court and various high courts questioning the electronic voting machines, with the higher judiciary repeatedly holding that the machines are credible, reliable and tamper-proof, the government said in Lok Sabha on Friday.
Responding to a question on safeguards to prevent tampering or hacking of the machines, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said according to the Election Commission, EVM is a standalone machine with no radio frequency communication capability, hence it cannot communicate through wireless, bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
"The machine is electronically protected to prevent any tampering or manipulation. It incorporates several technical security features such as one time programmable chip, unauthorised access detect module, advance encryption techniques, strong mutual authentication capability," the minister said in a written reply.
After the Haryana assembly polls, Congress had questioned the reliability of the EVMs and had claimed that different levels of charging in the EVM battery gave different results.
The EC had rejected the complaint, saying the Congress was raising "smoke of generic doubt" poll after poll.
In his address during the Congress Working Committee meeting at the AICC headquarters here on Friday, party president Mallikarjun Kharge said he believes that the EVMs have made the electoral process "suspect" and stressed that it is the constitutional responsibility of the EC to ensure free and fair elections in the country. -- PTI
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17:50 Traffic affected on Delhi's Ashoka Road after portion of road caves in
Traffic was affected on Ashoka Road in Lutyens' Delhi after a portion of the road caved in on early Friday, the police said.
Taking to X, the Delhi traffic police said, "Traffic is affected on Ashoka road in the carriageway from C-Hexagon towards Windsor Place due to road cave-in near Windsor Place."
A senior police officer said the portion has been barricaded to prevent vehicles from passing through the affected area.
The pit has been covered so that the traffic movement can be resumed on the portion, the officer said, adding that the remaining work will be carried out later.
Visuals of the incident showed that a bus got stuck after the road caved-in. It was later removed with the help of a crane. -- PTI
17:27 ISKCON protests jailing of Chinmoy Das in B'desh
ISKCON on Friday held a protest 'kirtan' at its Albert Road centre in Kolkata for the second consecutive day demanding the release of jailed Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das and expressed concern over the plight of religious minorities in Bangladesh.
Disciples chanted kirtans and held placards in support of Das, while ISKCON spokesperson Radharamn Das highlighted the worsening situation for religious minorities, particularly Hindus, in Bangladesh.
Bangladesh's minority Hindus, which constitute only about 8 per cent of the 170 million population, have faced over 200 attacks in 50-odd districts since the fall of Sheikh Hasina's Awami League government on August 5. Das was arrested in a sedition case.
He was later denied bail by a court, triggering protests by community members in various locations, including capital Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram. PTI
17:24 Retail inflation over the last 10 years
Persistent food inflation continues to delay potential rate cuts by the central bank.
17:19 Champions Trophy: Will India travel to Pak?
It is "unlikely" that the Indian Cricket team will travel to Pakistan for the ICC Champions Trophy next year due to 'security concerns' there, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Friday.
Due to strained political relations between the two nations, India has not toured Pakistan since 2008, when they participated in the Asia Cup. The two arch-rivals last played a bilateral series in 2012-13 in India, comprising white-ball matches.
After that, India and Pakistan have primarily faced each other in ICC tournaments and Asia Cups.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal cited the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) statement which stated that because of the "security concerns" in Pakistan, it is unlikely that the Indian team will cross the border to play the marquee event in Pakistan.
"The BCCI has issued a statement. They have said that there are security concerns there, and therefore, it is unlikely that the team will be going there," Randhir Jaiswal said in a weekly press briefing today. India has firmly held its stance of not travelling to Pakistan.
The BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has consistently emphasised that the board will strictly adhere to the directives issued by the Indian government. -- PTI
17:11 Why did Siddaramaiah meet PM today?
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested rectification in short-term farm loan limit, Rs 10,000 crore in financial support and urgent clearances for the Mekedatu Balancing Reservoir and Kalasa Bandhuri projects.
In the meeting in Parliament complex, Siddaramaiah pressed for several key interventions focusing on critical areas, including agriculture, water resources and urban infrastructure. Deputy Chief Minister and Irrigation Minister D K Shivakumar, Energy Minister K J George and Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh accompanied Siddaramaiah to the meeting.
16:57 Sensex, Nifty rebound after deep plunge
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded on Friday, surging nearly 1 per cent each, amid buying in frontline stocks Bharti Airtel and Reliance Industries. The BSE benchmark Sensex jumped 759.05 points or 0.96 per cent to settle at 79,802.79. During the day, it soared 880.16 points or 1.11 per cent to 79,923.90.
The NSE Nifty climbed 216.95 points or 0.91 per cent to 24,131.10.
From the 30-share Sensex pack, Bharti Airtel, Mahindra & Mahindra, UltraTech Cement, Adani Ports, Reliance Industries, Larsen & Toubro, JSW Steel, Hindustan Unilever, Titan and Tata Motors were the biggest gainers. Power Grid, Nestle, State Bank of India and Infosys were the laggards.
-- PTI
16:29 Not received summons from US for Adani: India
On the Adani indictment issue, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says: "This is a legal matter involving private firms and individuals and the US Department of Justice. There are established procedures and legal avenues in such cases which we believe would be followed. The Government of India was not informed in advance of the issue. We haven't had any conversation also about this matter with the US government.
"Any request by a foreign government for the service of a summons/arrest warrant is part of mutual legal assistance. Such requests are examined on merits. We have not received any request on this case from the US side. This a matter which pertains to private entities and Government of India, is not legally a part of it in any manner, at this point in time."
Backing embattled Adani Group, rating agency CRISIL Ratings on Friday said the conglomerate has sufficient liquidity and operational cash flows to meet debt obligations and committed capex and that there has been no negative actions so far by lenders and investors following the US indictment of group founder chairman.
16:06 B'desh situation not media exaggeration: MEA
India's statement on the situation in Bangladesh and the arrest of an ISKCON seer.
MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "India has consistently and strongly raised with the Bangladesh government the threats and targeted attacks on Hindus and other minorities. These developments cannot be dismissed only as media exaggeration.
"The interim government must live up to its responsibility of protecting all minorities. We are concerned about the surge of extremist rhetoric. Increasing incidents of violence and provocation cannot be dismissed merely as media exaggerations. We call upon Bangladesh to take steps for the protection of minorities.
"We see ISKCON as a globally well-regarded organisation with a strong record of social service. As far as the arrest of Chinmoy Das is concerned, we have made our statement on that.
"Cases against individuals and legal processes are underway. We hope and expect that these processes will be dealt with in a fair, just and transparent manner ensuring full respect for these individuals and all those who are concerned.
"We made opposition very clear as far as the situation of Hindus and minorities in Bangladesh is concerned. We have raised this matter with Bangladesh that they must take responsibility for protecting the minorities and safeguarding their interests, safeguarding, and providing for their safety and security."
15:59 Maharashtra: 8 dead, 30 injured after state transport bus overturns in Gondia
At least eight people died after a Maharashtra State Transport bus overturned near Bindravana Tola village on the Gondia-Arjuni road in the Gondia district on Friday afternoon.
The bus was on its way from Nagpur to Gondia. "A State transport bus met with an accident in Gondia district. The bus was en route from the Bhandara depot to Gondia when the bus driver lost control of the vehicle near Bindravana Tola village on the Gondia-Arjuni road and overturned on the side of the road. Eight people have died and around 30 people are injured," said the police.
The official further said that the injured have been shifted to the Gondia District Hospital, adding that the death toll is expected to increase. -- ANI
Every year during the rains tracks get flooded
15:31 Mumbaikars sit up! Mega train projects announced
Devendra Fadnavis shares this post on X, an announcement that should please harried Mumbaikars.
Fadnavis writes: "300 new local trains for Mumbai, mega rail terminal in Vasai! Thank you Hon. Prime Minister Modi and Ashwini Vaishnav! Heartfelt gratitude to Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji and Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnavji for taking important decisions in the interest of people and development by approving three major railway projects towards a prosperous and developed Maharashtra.
-- New corridor to connect Purvanchal to Mumbai to boost port connectivity.
-- Decision to increase capacity of terminals at Parel, LTT, Kalyan, and Panvel in Central Railway.
-- Railways decide to increase capacity of Mumbai Central, Bandra terminals.
-- New terminal at Jogeshwari and new mega rail terminal at Vasai.
-- 300 additional trains to be added to the number of Mumbai local trains
These projects will not only make the journey of millions of Mumbaikars comfortable and smooth, but will also boost connectivity, business and traffic in the MMR region."
14:58 Won't leave Mahayuti for the chair: Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske says, "CM Eknath Shinde expressed in a press conference two days ago that we are not interested in the CM's chair. Whatever decision the leaders of Mahayuti take, we stand behind them. We are not Uddhav Thackeray, we will not leave the alliance for the chair.
"Yesterday a meeting was held at the residence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in which only the development, prosperity and happiness of Maharashtra was discussed and the way the central government has stood behind the development of the Maharashtra government till now, it should stand behind it in the same way in the future as well. This request was made to Home Minister Amit Shah on behalf of the people of Maharashtra."
Shinde, ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis and NCP chief Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda late Thursday to thrash out a power-sharing pact for the next government in Maharashtra.
"We will take a decision (on Maharashtra CM) in a day or two. We have held discussions, and the discussions will continue. You will get to know when we take a final decision," Shinde told reporters in Delhi after the meeting.
Eknath Shinde's presser two days ago
14:41 Mahayuti meet for today postponed as Shinde is...
Outgoing Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who returned to Mumbai from New Delhi on Friday morning, is travelling to his native village in Satara district amid continuing suspense over his successor a week after the assembly poll results.
Shinde had told reporters in New Delhi on late Thursday night that the next meeting of the Mahayuti alliance on government formation will be held in Mumbai on Friday.
However, the caretaker CM, who heads the Shiv Sena, is travelling to his native village Dare in Satara district in western Maharashtra and the meeting is now expected to take place on Sunday, the sources said.
The Shiv Sena leader has repeatedly said he would not be an obstacle in the government formation and abide by the decisions taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the next chief minister. Different viewpoints are emerging in the Shiv Sena over Shinde's place in the next government to be headed by the BJP, the biggest constituent in the Mahayuti, which posted a thumping win in the just-held assembly polls.
Many leaders in the Shiv Sena are asking Shinde to accept deputy CM's post if offered by the BJP. However, another section feels it wouldn't be right for him to accept No. 2 position after serving as CM for more than two-and-a-half years, the sources said.
"The government formation process will start after the BJP announces its legislature party leader," they said. During his Delhi trip, Shinde had met Shah and discussed formation of the next government in the state.
His deputies in the outgoing state cabinet Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) and Ajit Pawar (NCP) had also met the senior BJP leader. Talking to reporters in the national capital, Shinde called the discussion good and positive. Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar had also met BJP president J P Nadda. PTI
13:50 'If Shinde doesn't accept Dy CM post it'll go to...'
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat on Friday said if their party head Eknath Shinde doesn't accept the deputy chief minister's post, then it will be given to someone from their outfit.
Talking to reporters, Shirsat said Shinde will certainly not go to the Centre as a Union minister.
"After the Mahayuti alliance's astounding performance in the Maharashtra polls, where it won 230 of the 288 seats, Shinde, now the caretaker chief minister, has said that he will fully support BJP leadership's decision to name the next CM and won't be a hurdle in the process.
"This had led to debates over the possibility of Shinde being offered the deputy CM position and whether he would accept it. If Shinde does not accept the deputy CM's post, then some other leader from our party will get it. He (Shinde) will take a call on this by evening," said Shirsat, who retained his Aurangabad assembly West seat.
On Thursday, the Shiv Sena leader said Shinde was unlikely to accept the post of deputy CM in the new government in Maharashtra. Shirsat's party colleague and former minister Shamburaj Desai said their MLA-elects and party workers strongly feel that Shinde should be a part of the new government.
Desai was the guardian minister of Thane, Shinde's bastion, from 2022 to 2024.
Looking at Shinde's vast administrative experience, Desai said, he should be a part of the next government in Maharashtra. Shinde, ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis and NCP chief Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda late Thursday to thrash out a power-sharing pact for the next government in Maharashtra. -- PTI
13:08 'Ajit, Shinde will have to take orders from Delhi'
Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut launched a scathing attack on Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar on Friday, saying that since the Mahayuti victory in Maharashtra, all the decisions of the government will be taken in Delhi instead of in the state.
"Now the thing is all the things related to Maharashtra will be decided in Delhi, they used to talk about self-respect and pride, that is not there anymore. Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar will have to come to Delhi again and again to put forward their issues. Even though they are from different parties, their high command is in Delhi, Modi and Shah are their high command," Raut said during a press conference.
"Whatever they (Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar) need to get done in Maharashtra, they have to get approval from Delhi, yesterday also they met (in Delhi). So now meeting in Maharashtra what will they do? So whatever orders is being given by Modi and Shah, they will have to listen," he added.
He further slammed Devendra Fadnavis, saying that the BJP leaders political journey has been quite eventful as he switched between being Chief Minister to Deputy Chief Minister (DCM).
"Earlier too, Devendra Fadnavis was CM, he became a DCM, Eknath Shinde was quite junior to him. Eknath Shinde has also worked in the cabinet of Fadnavis, suddenly Fadnavis started working in the cabinet of Shinde. The kind of politics happening in Maharashtra, there is no such thing as self-respect left anymore," he said.
Similarly hammering down his objections over Ajit Pawar, saying that Pawar is a "forever DCM"
"Ajit Pawar is a forever DCM, he has been DCM, he will continue to only be DCM," Raut said.
Raut once again cast doubts on EVMS claiming that the alliance is happy due to the "wonder of EVMs."
"Nowadays there is a lot of happiness on their faces, the brightness of their faces which had disappeared after Lok Sabha polls, has now returned, it is the wonder of EVMs. A '3-murti' temple should be formed, in the middle EVM, on one side PM and the other side Amit Shah," he said.
12:44 Hum Bharat ke Log: A new series on extraordinary people begins
At 13, he left Bihar to work in a saw-mill in Bhutan. He learnt the craft of making sofas, and some of the pieces he made found a place in the royal palace. He returned home after spending 35 years in the Himalayan kingdom, and has continued making sofas, restoring old furniture and creating wire-gutting chairs, all that has become a dying art now.
On the 29th anniversary of its founding, Rediff.com begins a special series Hum Bharat Ke Log on the extraordinary people who make Bharat.
Read the first story in the series by Archana Masih.
12:40 SC stays order on Sambhal mosque survey
Supreme Court orders the trial court not to proceed with the case till the Shahi Idgah committee of the Sambhal mosque moves the High Court. The Supreme Court orders that the advocate commissioners' survey report be kept in a sealed cover. The court keeps the case pending before it and posts the matter for hearing in the week commencing from January 6, 2025.
The Committee of Management of Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, moved the Supreme Court against the November 19 order of the local court for the survey of the mosque. Chief Justice of India Justice Sanjiv Khanna-led bench to hear the petition of Sambhal Jama Masjid today.
The Committee, in its plea, contended that the report of the survey commissioner be kept in a sealed cover and the status quo be maintained until finality of the present petition.
"Surveys should not be ordered and executed as a matter of course in cases involving disputes over places of worship without hearing all parties and allowing sufficient time to the aggrieved persons to seek judicial remedies against the order of survey," it stated.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra outside Parliament yesterday
12:20 Sit here, Kanimozhi tells Priyanka in Parliament
A day after taking oath, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday came to the Lok Sabha and joined the opposition protest, standing in solidarity near her seat.
The Wayanad MP entered the House when several opposition members, including those from the Congress and the Samajwadi Party, were protesting against the Sambhal violence and other issues.
Priyanka Gandhi stood near her seat in solidarity. Amid the protest, she also met and greeted the MPs from opposition parties. As she went closer to the front row of the opposition benches to meet other members, DMK MP Kanimozhi was seen gesturing for her to take a seat there.
Gandhi had a brief interaction with Kanimozhi before moving on to greet others. Leader of the Opposition in the House, Rahul Gandhi, was also seen interacting with the members of the TMC and other parties. PTI
A NSG team at the site
12:10 Delhi blast: Sweepers, guards, residents questioned
The Delhi Police has registered an FIR regarding the explosion near a cinema hall in Rohini on Thursday, officials said. The low-intensity blast that occurred nearly 40 days after an explosion took place at a CRPF school in the same area left one person injured and triggered panic among residents.
A case under sections 326(g) (mischief with severe consequences to public safety) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and section 3 of the Explosive Substance Act was registered at the Prashant Vihar police station, an officer said.
The case was registered against unknown people and efforts are underway to arrest the accused who dumped or planted the explosive material at the site, the officer said.
Over a dozen teams of the Special Cell, the Crime Branch, and the local police have scanned the footage from the CCTV cameras of the area but nothing suspicious has been found yet, he said. The local residents, sweepers, and security guards were also questioned, he added.
The investigations are also probing the possibility of an accidental explosion that might have occurred due to the unextinguished 'beedi' butt thrown by the driver of a three-wheeler parked nearby. Chetan Kushwaha, the driver, sustained minor injuries in the explosion.
11:55 Drunk pax incidents decreased in past 2 years: Air India CEO
Alcohol-related incidents on flights have decreased in the past two years after reporting of such incidents to authorities has increased, said CEO of Air India Campbell Wilson on Thursday.
In a media briefing, the Air India CEO said that there is an education process required for the travelling public as to what "behaviour is acceptable" on aircraft; there's also a process of educating crew on what are their obligations and their function and what the company will do to back them up when facing an "unruly passenger."
He further added that there's also an element of police and government involvement that if there's an incident, they have to report.
"There's a safe environment for a cabin crew to go in and report. And when a matter is reported so that there is action that's taken seriously by authorities, so that there's a purpose to reporting, so it's really a multifaceted thing," he added. -- ANI
11:40 Eknath Shinde Has No Cards Left To Play
The meeting in New Delhi etc is just the BJP being nice to the man who helped it realise its dream by stabbing Uddhav in the back, notes Saisuresh Sivaswamy. Read the column here.
11:20 ED raids Shilpa Shetty's husband's home, office
ED raids premises of Raj Kundra, husband of Shilpa Shetty, in money laundering case linked to pornographic material distribution. The raids were conducted at Kundra's home and office.
Kundra was arrested in June 2021 on charges of allegedly producing 'pornographic' films and his arrest was registered later. He is currently on bail since September 2021, after spending two months in jail. According to the Mumbai Police, Raj was the key conspirator in this case
11:16 Hindus are being killed: British MP slams B'desh
Bob Blackman, a Conservative Member of Parliament for Harrow East in the United Kingdom condemned the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh.
Addressing the parliament on Thursday, Blackman showed his concern by the attempt of a High Court in Bangladesh to ban ISKCON from the country.
In a post on X, he attached a video of himself speaking in the parliament and said, "Today, I condemned the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and the imprisonment of Chinmoy Krishna Das. I am also concerned by the attempt in their High Court to rule that ISKCON should be banned from the country. Freedom of religion must be preserved globally."
He said that Hindus in Bangladesh are now subject to death, with their spiritual leader being arrested and their houses being burnt. He added that the UK has a responsibility to look into the matter because they had enabled Bangladesh's independence.
"Now, right now, Mr Speaker, the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, who run Bhaktaventa Manor in Elstree, the largest Hindu temple in this country, in Bangladesh, their spiritual leader is under arrest. Hindus across Bangladesh are being subject literally to death by their houses being burnt, their temples are being burnt.
"And there was an attempt today in the Bangladesh High Court to rule that ISKCON should be banned from the country. This is a direct attack on Hindus. Now this is a threat from India now to take action. We have a responsibility because we enabled Bangladesh to be free and independent," he said. -- ANI
11:00 It's family time in the US
Douglas Emhoff, Second Gentleman of the United States (Kamala Harris' husband) shares this image on Thanksgiving yesterday. "There's nothing like having the kids home for the holidays. Happy Thanksgiving!"
Will Devendra Fadnavis be the next CM?
10:37 Maharashtra assembly to have 78 first-time MLAs
Seventy-eight first-time poll winners will enter the 288-member Maharashtra assembly, comprising about 27 per cent of its strength. Of these, 33 are from the BJP, 14 from the Shiv Sena and eight from the NCP. While the Shiv Sena (UBT) has 10 newcomers, six such MLA-elects are from the Congress and four from the NCP (SP).
There are two first-time assembly poll winners from smaller parties, while an independent candidate will also make his debut in the House. First-timers bagged nine of Mumbai's 36 seats this time.
These include Sena (UBT) candidates Mahesh Sawant, who defeated MNS chief Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray and sitting Shiv Sena MLA Sada Sarvankar in Mahim, and Varun Desai, who trounced Zeeshan Siddique of NCP in Vandre East. -- PTI
10:34 Sensex, Nifty bounce back
Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded in early trade on Friday amid buying in frontline stocks Reliance Industries and HDFC Bank. The BSE benchmark Sensex climbed 216.18 points to 79,259.92 in early trade.
The NSE Nifty went up by 78.6 points to 23,992.75. From the 30-share Sensex pack, Mahindra & Mahindra, Adani Ports, Bharti Airtel, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance Industries, Bajaj Finserv, Bajaj Finance and HDFC Bank were the biggest gainers. Power Grid, ITC, Tata Consultancy Services and Maruti were among the laggards. In Asian markets, Shanghai and Hong Kong were trading in the positive territory while Seoul and Tokyo quoted lower.
The meeting yesterday
10:09 Does BJP want Shinde to be Maha deputy CM?
Mahayuti leaders Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar met with Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi last night. According to reports, the BJP may make Fadnavis the CM to 'right the wrongs' done to him when he was forced to play second fiddle to Shinde to keep the alliance afloat.
According to a report in the Times of India, the BJP wants Shinde to be deputy CM in an effort to project a sense of unity.
Leaders of the alliance said a new government could be in place in Maharashtra latest by December 2.
The meeting between Fadnavis, Shah, Nadda, Pawar and Shinde lasted over one hour.
09:54 Parl Day 4: Cong to continue discussion on Adani
On the fourth day of the Parliament winter session, Congress MP Manickam Tagore filed an adjournment notice in Lok Sabha on Friday to discuss the Adani indictment in the lower house.
Congress MPs have continuously sought to discuss the Adani indictment in the Lok Sabha since the start of the winter session on November 25. Justifying the public adjournment motion in the letter submitted to the Lok Sabha Secretary General, Tagore wrote that the issue is of "public importance," and "strikes at the core of public trust in India's governance and regulatory framework."
"I hereby seek leave to move an adjournment motion to discuss a matter of urgent public importance, namely the recent allegations of corruption, bribery and securities fraud involving the Adani Group and its leadership," read the motion by Manickam Tagore.
Detailing the various allegations levied by the United States Department of Justice, he also mentioned that the Andhra Pradesh government also had initiated a review of solar power agreements, and alleged that there has been "government inaction" on this matter.
"Despite mounting evidence and international scrutiny, the Indian government has not initiated a probe into the Adani Group. This inaction raises serious question about the government's commitment to transparency, justice and its independence from corporate influence," Tagore wrote in the motion.
While mentioning the Andhra Pradesh government's review of its solar project, he said that they have "uncovered a Rs 1,750 crore bribery allegation." -- ANI
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09:24 Birsa Munda's great-grandson, injured in road accident, dies
Tribal icon Birsa Munda's great-grandson Mangal Munda, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ranchi after being injured in a road accident, died of "cardiovascular failure" on Friday, an official of the health facility said. He was 45.
Mangal Munda breathed his last at 12.30 am at the state's apex health facility -- Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences.
Munda sustained severe head injuries after he fell from the roof of a passenger vehicle in Jharkhand's Khunti district on November 25.
"Birsa Munda's kin Mangal Munda died of cardiovascular failure around 12.30 am. He was on a ventilator after being critically injured. We tried our best to save him but failed," RIMS Medical Superintendent Dr Hiren Birua told PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office, Union Health Minister JP Nadda and the Jharkhand Chief Minister's office were in touch with the RIMS authorities in connection with Munda's treatment.
08:57 16-year-old girl raped in moving ambulance in MP
A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped in a moving ambulance in Mauganj district of Madhya Pradesh, police have said.
The alleged crime in the ambulance being operated under '108' emergency service took place on November 22 and two of the four accused in the case, including the driver, have been arrested, they said.
The girl, accompanied by her sister and brother-in-law, was travelling in the ambulance (none of them was a patient), said Deputy Inspector General (Rewa Range) Saket Pandey on Thursday.
Besides the trio, the driver and his associate were inside the patient transport vehicle, he said.
Pandey told PTI that the minor along with her sister and brother-in-law, both later charged with aiding the crime, set off for their destination in the ambulance whose driver was known to them.
En route, the girl's sister and her brother-in-law got down from the vehicle on the pretext of fetching water. Instead of waiting for the couple, the ambulance driver sped away, said the officer.
Later, the driver's associate travelling with him, Rajesh Kewat, raped her in the moving ambulance at Sunsan village on November 22, he added.
After keeping the girl hostage for the whole night, the two accused dumped her on the roadside the next morning, the DIG said.
On reaching home, the survivor narrated the ordeal to her mother, who for two days did not approach police, fearing the incident would tarnish the family's image in society, according to the IPS officer.
The teenager and her mother finally approached the police on November 25 following which a case was registered against four people (aged 25 to 30 years), including Kewat, on their complaint, Pandey said.
He said the ambulance driver Virendra Chaturvedi and Kewat, the alleged rapist, were arrested on Wednesday.
A hunt has been launched to apprehend the girl's sister and brother-in-law, who have been charged with abetting the crime, said the IPS officer.
All the accused have been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. -- PTI
08:31 Shinde calls meet with Shah 'positive' amid CM race
After meeting with Union Minister Amit Shah and BJP President JP Nadda in New Delhi, Maharashtra caretaker Chief Minister Eknath Shinde described the meeting as "good and positive."
He added that another meeting would be held, which is expected to decide who will assume the role of Chief Minister.
"The meeting was good and positive. This was the first meeting. We had a discussion with Amit Shah and JP Nadda. There will be another meeting of the Mahayuti. In this meeting, a decision will be taken about who will be the Chief Minister. The meeting will be held in Mumbai," he said.
Eknath Shinde, BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, NCP chief Ajit Pawar and other Mahayuti leaders met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda in Delhi on Thursday.
The meeting between Fadnavis, Shah, Nadda, Pawar and Shinde lasted over one hour.
After the meeting, Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar left the national capital at late night.
The leaders gathered to deliberate on the formation of the new government in Maharashtra.
Shinde told reporters that he would not be an obstacle in the government formation in the state and abide by the decision taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah. This cleared the decks for the BJP to have its nominee as the next chief minister in Maharashtra.
Actor Nagarjuna
01:06 Court summons Telangana minister in defamation case filed by actor Nagarjuna
A local court on Thursday summoned Telangana Minister Konda Surekha to appear before it on December 12 over a criminal defamation complaint filed by actor Nagarjuna.
The actor accused the minister of making defamatory statements against him and his family.
The special judicial first class magistrate for excise cases in Hyderabad issued summons to Surekha under section 356 (defamation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Surekha, minister of forest, stirred up a controversy in October this year with her allegedly defamatory comments.
She withdrew her remarks after they triggered strong reactions from political leaders and the Telugu cinema industry.
Nagarjuna had filed a criminal defamation complaint against Surekha as her comments involved his son Naga Chaitanya.
The court had earlier recorded the statement of Nagarjuna and others. -- PTI
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00:43 2 terror associates held in J-K's Doda, Udhampur
The police on Thursday arrested two terror associates allegedly conspiring to execute subversive activities in Doda and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.
A police team arrested a hardcore terror associate named Firdous Ahmed Wani from the Dandi area in Doda district's Bhaderwah belt based on credible intelligence, they said.
The accused was reportedly in contact with terrorist handlers across the border through various social media platforms.
He was actively working to revive militancy in Doda by establishing a foothold for anti-national elements in the area, officials said.
A thorough search of the suspect and his residence led to the recovery of incriminating materials and documents, which have been seized for further investigation, they added.
The accused was allegedly conspiring to execute subversive activities in and around Doda in collaboration with active terrorists and handlers operating from Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir, the police said.
In another operation, the police arrested a hardcore terror associate under the stringent Public Safety Act in Udhampur, officials said.
The accused has been identified as Abdul Satar from Ponara Soni, who was involved in multiple terror cases, working as an active guide and facilitator for terrorist organisations until his arrest, they added.
Several FIRs were registered against him at the Basantgarh police station, police said. -- PTI
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00:21 Imphal Valley schools, colleges to reopen tomorrow
The Manipur government on Thursday announced that classes in schools and colleges in Imphal Valley districts and Jiribam would resume from November 29 after a hiatus of 13 days.
Educational institutes in these districts have remained closed since November 16 after the dead bodies of three women and three children in Jiribam were recovered from the Jiri and Barak rivers in Manipur and Assam respectively.
An order issued by the directorate of education -- schools said, "Normal classes will resume for all schools of the state, government, government aided, private and central schools from November 29."
The government educational institutions or government-aided colleges under the higher and technical education department, including state universities, will resume classes with effect from Friday, a separate order said.
Violence escalated in Manipur after three women and three children belonging to the Meitei community had gone missing from a relief camp in Jiribam after a gunfight between security forces and suspected Kuki-Zo militants resulted in the deaths of 10 insurgents on November 11.
Bodies of those six were later found. -- PTI
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