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Wed, 02 October 2024

560 kg of cocaine worth Rs 2000 cr seized in Delhi

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21:32 560 kg of cocaine worth Rs 2000 cr seized in Delhi

The Delhi Police has made one of the biggest drug busts ever seen in the city, seizing over 560 kilograms of cocaine estimated to be worth around Rs 2,000 crore, officials said.

A Delhi Police Special Cell team nabbed four people from South Delhi's Mehrauli and confiscated the consignment weighing over 565 kilograms.

The officials said those arrested had planned to sell the cocaine in Delhi and the National Capital Region.

They said the Special Cell team had been working for over two months based on a tip-off which led to the bust just before the festive season.

The four people are being interrogated and a probe is on, police said. -- PTI

20:35 Woman duped of Rs 18 lakh by 'Facebook friend'

A 29-year-old woman was allegedly cheated of Rs 18 lakh by a fraudster who befriended her on Facebook, police said on Wednesday.

The woman, who hails from Ratnagiri district and works as a caretaker here, filed a complaint in this regard with Versova police station on Tuesday, said an official.

She came in contact with a person who identified himself as `Vivek Patil' on Facebook in January 2023, she told police.

He claimed to be serving in the Indian Army and posted in Jammu and Kashmir.

After they started chatting regularly, he requested her to lend him some money, citing medical issues. The woman transferred money to a UPI address provided by him, the complaint said.

He asked for money many times after that, and the woman ended up transferring a total of Rs 18,30,101 to various accounts. Only when he stopped responding to her calls and messages, she realised that she had been taken for a ride.

A case was registered against two persons named Vivek Patil and one Laxman Dalvi whose UPI address was used for transferring money, and probe was on, the police official said. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi told star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra's mother on Wednesday that the 'churma' prepared by her reminded him of his mother and turned him emotional.

In a heartfelt letter addressed to Saroj Devi, PM Modi said Chopra gave him the "delicious" churma when they met during a banquet hosted in the honour of visiting Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness on Tuesday.

It gave him a lot of happiness as the two-time Olympic medal-winner often spoke about her churma, he said.

"I could not stop myself from writing the letter to you after eating this. Brother Neeraj often spoke about this churma and I turned emotional after eating it," he said, adding that such "boundless" affection reminded him of his mother.

Modi said in the letter in Hindi that it was a coincidence that he received the "mother's offering" on the eve of Navratri. The 'churma' became his main meal before his fast, he said.

Modi observes fast during Navratri.

He said, "As the food prepared by you gives brother Neeraj the energy to win medals for the country, this churma will give me the strength to serve the country for the next nine days."

The prime minister assured her and all women that he will remain dedicated to realise the goal of 'Viksit Bharat' with more commitment. -- PTI

20:19 Sonam Wangchu taken to Rajghat by police

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk and 170 Ladakhis under police detention for the past two days for violating prohibitory orders have been taken to Rajghat, an officer said on Wednesday.

Wangchuk, who was leading 'Delhi Chalo Padyatra', had gone on an indefinite fast after he was detained by the Delhi Police on Monday.

The 'padyatra' was organised by the Leh Apex Body, which along with the Kargil Democratic Alliance, has been spearheading an agitation for the last four years for statehood for Ladakh and its inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.

Wangchuk had begun his journey with 170 Ladakhis from Leh a month ago.

The marchers were detained at several police stations in the outskirts of Delhi on Monday night.

They were detained at the city's Singhu Border while they on their way to -- PTI

Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday alleged that after being voted to power by people impressed with his track record in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "diverted wealth of the entire country to his home state".

The I-PAC founder, whose first claim to fame was his handling of Modi's spectacular Lok Sabha polls campaign of 2014, made the scathing attack on the PM at a public meeting to mark the launch of his own political outfit Jan Suraaj Party.

"People like you and me voted for Modi, listening to his speeches, taken in by the impression that he has done a lot for the development of Gujarat.

Indeed, Gujarat is progressing. The wealth of the entire country seems to have been diverted to Gujarat where factories are being set up in every village. People from Bihar are flocking to that state in search of employment," Kishor alleged.

The 47-year-old leader was underscoring the point that people got from governments what they had voted for in elections and asked, "How can people of Bihar get development if they have voted for the growth of Gujarat?"

Kishor, who had also worked with JD-U supremo Nitish Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad when the two arch rivals had joined hands to form the 'Mahagathbandhan' which swept the Bihar assembly polls of 2015, also took a swipe at the two leaders who have dominated politics in the state for the past three decades.

"You voted for Lalu ji in the name of social justice and honour for the poor. And nobody can deny that the poor got the right to live with dignity during his regime even though law and order went for a toss and economic progress came to a grinding halt," said Kishor, referring to the RJD's nearly 15-year-long rule.

"Likewise, you voted for Nitish hoping for better roads and electricity. He delivered on these. It is another thing that his fetish for smart pre-paid meters is breaking the back of power consumers," said Kishor, who incidentally was formerly a national vice president of JD-U.

"Similarly, today people are voting for Modi for five kg of ration. So all are getting that even if corruption may be slicing off one kg of the quota... But, during my extensive travel across Bihar I have learnt from the people that never have they voted to secure a better future for their own children," he said.

"Jan Suraaj campaign, which has today become a political party, is an attempt to explain to the people the very nature of the malaise affecting the state. Vote for your own children, on the issues of better education and job opportunities. And you will see the change," he added.

Kishor's tirade against leaders of the state's three largest parties could be seen as an attempt to dispel the impression that he was merely a "spoiler" who would cut into votes and queer the pitch for other players.

While the RJD has gone to the extent of calling Jan Suraaj a "B team of the BJP", state leaders of the saffron party have voiced suspicion that he was being propped up by former clients, who include leaders as diverse as K Chandrasekhar Rao, Y Jagan Mohan Reddy, Arvind Kejriwal and Mamata Banerjee.

Earlier in the day, Kishor announced the launch of his political outfit Jan Suraaj Party, a much-anticipated move by which he hopes to take the political landscape in Bihar by storm.

Kishor also named Manoj Bharti, a Madhubani-born former Indian Foreign Service Officer, as working president of the party, saying the latter will hold the post till March when organisational polls will be held. -- PTI

Govinda is fine and has been shifted to a normal ward, his family said on Wednesday, a day after the actor was injured in the leg when his revolver accidentally went off.

The 60-year-old actor underwent a surgery on Tuesday and is recuperating at a private hospital.

Sharing a health update with the reporters, Govinda's daughter Tina Ahuja said the family is hoping for his speedy discharge from the hospital.

"Papa is getting better, God has been very kind. Please keep him in your prayers. He has been shifted from the ICU to the normal ward; everything is good now. He's healthy and happy. Please continue praying for him. He will be discharged very soon. He's been given drips and antibiotics, and we're hoping for a speedy discharge," Tina said.

Earlier in the day, Govinda's wife Sunita Ahuja said the actor is fine and asked his fans not to panic.

"He will be discharged tomorrow or day after. With everyone's blessings, he has recovered. So many people are praying for him, he has such a massive fan following. I'd like to tell fans please don't panic. He will start dancing in a few months," she told reporters.

Govinda, known for films such as Love 86, Swarg, Dulhe Raja and Partner, was injured in the leg on Tuesday after his revolver accidentally went off at his Mumbai residence when he was about to leave for the airport. Sunita was in Jaipur and returned to Mumbai after finding out about the incident.

While the local police have been conducting an investigation, the Mumbai crime branch has also initiated a parallel enquiry into the incident. -- PTI

18:57 Air India introduces new policy for cabin crew

Air India is introducing a revised policy for the cabin crew members of domestic and international flights, wherein certain sections of the members will have to share rooms during layovers, according to a source.

The revised policy will not be applicable for Air India Express, which has merged AIX Connect with itself.

Among other changes, the source in the know said the allowances for cabin crew of international flights will be increased from USD 75-125 bracket to USD 85-135 bracket.

There is no change in the allowance of Rs 1,000 per night for the cabin crew of domestic flights. However, they will be entitled to a support allowance of Rs 1,000 per night.

An airline spokesperson said that with the merger of Air India and Vistara formalising, there is a need to harmonise these policies for employees of both the organisations.

"As part of that exercise, we have communicated the changes applicable to Air India employees. The revised compensation and benefits continue to be competitive and benchmarked to industry standards," the spokesperson told PTI in a statement.

Under the revised policy, cabin crew members, excluding in-flight managers and executives, will have to share rooms during layovers, the source said.

In-flight managers and executives are generally senior people with at least 8-9 years of experience.

While room sharing for cabin crew is already there at Air India Express and Vistara, this will be the first time such a practice will be introduced at the Tata Group-owned loss-making Air India.

The changes in the policy also comes against the backdrop of a section of Air India Express cabin crew members seeking redressal of their HR issues under the labour law. The case is in progress before the Central Labour Commissioner.

Meanwhile, the Air India spokesperson also mentioned about the airline introducing a performance-linked compensation and benefits policy for all employees in April 2023.

The merger of AIX Connect with Air India Express was completed on October 1 while the integration of Vistara with Air India will be completed next month. -- PTI

For the second time this week, a fire extinguisher belonging to the railways was found on the tracks on Wednesday with officials saying it was spotted by the loco pilot of a goods train who applied breaks near Ambiyapur station in Kanpur dehat.

They said there was no criminal intent behind the act and the extinguisher might have fallen off from some train accidently.

On September 29, a fire extinguisher was found on the rail tracks between Govindpuri and Bhimsen stations here. The loco pilot applied emergency brakes and stopped the train away from the extinguisher, which also belonged to the railways.

Wednesday's incident came to light around 6:30 am when the loco pilot apprised his seniors who, in turn, alerted the GRP and Railway Protection Force (RPF) about it.

No FIR has been lodged in the matter so far, the officials said.

The goods train had hardly reached Ambiyapur railway station when the driver spotted a cylinder-like thing on the tracks, said Arpit Tewari, in-charge of Jhinjhak GRP outpost.

The cylinder was later found to be a fire extinguisher, he added.

Railway officials inspected the incident site and found the cylinder was a railway property and may have fallen from another train, said Superintendent of Police (Kanpur Dehat), BBGTS Murthy.

In the inquiry report in the September 29 case, the railway officials stated that the fire safety cylinder was railway property and it was issued by the section engineer (carriage & wagon) Gorakhpur and it may have fallen from any other train accidentally.

On September 22, an empty gas cylinder was also found on the tracks by a goods train loco pilot, who applied emergency brakes and stopped the train near Prempur railway station in Kanpur.

On September 16, Jaunpur district of the state, train operations were briefly disrupted after a rail track was found broken near Rajnipur railway crossing, east of Harpalganj railway station in the Sultanpur rail division.

On the same day, the engine of a goods train derailed in Sonbhadra, disrupting rail traffic for hours after debris from a nearby hill fell on the tracks due to heavy rains, railway officials said. -- PTI

A Dalit man's face was blackened and he was paraded with a garland of shoes around his neck for allegedly stalking a woman in a village in Mandsaur district, police said on Wednesday.

A case was registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) after the videos of the incident surfaced and two persons were arrested, a police officer said.

The incident occurred earlier last week in Bhaisodamandi village under the Bhanpura police station limits, said Superintendent of Police Abhishek Anand.

Videos show a half-naked man with his face blackened, wearing only trousers and a shoe garland around his neck, being forced by a group of people to walk in the village lanes.

The assault on the Dalit man stems from an FIR registered on a complaint lodged by a woman on September 29. The man was booked under sections 74 (assault or use of criminal force against women with the intent to outrage their modesty) and 78 (stalking) of the BNS, Anand said.

During questioning, the accused didn't disclose about the assault, Anand said, adding that police contacted him after a video surfaced on Tuesday.

An FIR was registered against Rameshwar Gurjar, Balchand Gurjar and others under the provisions of BNS and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act on a complaint lodged by the Dalit man.

Both the accused were rounded up, the police officer said, adding that a notice had been served to the Dalit man in connection with a case registered against him. -- PTI

Former Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat has claimed that she refused to speak with Prime Minister Narendra Modi after her disqualification from the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Phogat was disqualified ahead of her women's 50 kg freestyle final at the Paris Games in August.

Phogat is now a Congress candidate for the Julana seat in the Haryana assembly elections.

"The call had come (from PM) but I refused to speak," she said in an interview with The Lallantop.

'The call did not come directly to me but Indian officials who were there informed me that he (PM Modi) wanted to talk. I was ready. However, they put conditions -- no one from my team would be present, while two people from their side would record the conversation for social media," she added.

"I didn't want my emotions and hard work to be made fun of on social media. If he truly cared about athletes, he could have called without recording it, and I would have been grateful," she said, adding that she believes Modi's office imposed conditions to control the narrative.

"Maybe he knew 'if I speak to Vinesh she will ask about the last two years'. Maybe that's why I was instructed that there will be no phone from my side because they can edit (video) from their end but I will not edit. I will post the original video. So they denied," she claimed.

As many as 26 newly-launched iPhone 16 Pro Max devices concealed inside a vanity bag of a woman passenger have been seized by Customs authorities at the international airport in New Delhi.

The passenger, in late thirties, was intercepted after her arrival from Hong Kong on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the Customs department on Wednesday.

"On a detailed personal and baggage search of the passenger, 26 iPhone 16 Pro Max concealed in her vanity bag wrapped in tissue papers were recovered," it said.

While the woman has not been arrested, an investigation is underway to determine whether this incident is isolated or part of a larger smuggling syndicate dealing in high-end electronic goods.

"The recovered iPhones have been seized under section 110 of the Customs Act, 1962. Further investigation is under progress," the statement said.

The Customs department pegged the total tariff value of the seized iPhones at approximately Rs 30,66,328.

The iPhone 16 Pro Max is the flagship model in Apple's latest smartphone series launched worldwide last month and the market price of the consignment in India exceeds Rs 37 lakh, as per information available on the Apple India website.

The Customs department continues to monitor and enforce regulations regarding the importing of high-value electronic goods, the statement said. -- PTI

17:17 Israel denies entry to UN chief amid tension

Israel's Foreign Minister Israel Katz on Wednesday said that he was barring the United Nations secretary-general from entering Israel, accusing him of being biased against the country.

Katz said he was declaring Antonio Guterres "persona non grata" and said he would be prevented from entering Israel.

In a statement, the minister on X said, "Today, I have declared UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres persona non grata in Israel and banned him from entering the country. Anyone who cannot unequivocally condemn Iran's heinous attack on Israel, as almost every country in the world has done, does not deserve to step foot on Israeli soil."

"This is a Secretary-General who has yet to denounce the massacre and sexual atrocities committed by Hamas murderers on October 7, nor has he led any efforts to declare them a terrorist organization. A Secretary-General who gives backing to terrorists, rapists, and murderers from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and now Iran -- the mothership of global terror -- will be remembered as a stain on the history of the UN. Israel will continue to defend its citizens and uphold its national dignity, with or without Antnio Guterres," he added.

The move deepens an already wide rift between Israel and the United Nations.

Political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor on Wednesday announced the launch of his political outfit Jan Suraaj Party, a much-anticipated move by which he hopes to take the political landscape in Bihar by storm.

The party was launched at Veterinary College Ground in the state capital in presence of many renowned figures, including former Union minister Devendra Prasad Yadav, diplomat-turned-politician Pavan Varma and ex-MP Monazir Hassan.

The party was floated exactly two years after Kishor had embarked on a more than 3,000-km-long 'padayatra' of the state, from Champaran where Mahatma Gandhi had launched the first Satyagraha in the country, in a bid to mobilise the people for a "new political alternative" that could cure Bihar of its chronic backwardness. -- PTI

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday suggested the Opposition should fulfil Mahatma Gandhi's wish to dissolve the Congress since its utility was over.

The BJP senior leader also accused the Opposition of using Mahatma Gandhi's name for their selfish political agenda.

"Mahatma Gandhiji had wished that the Congress be dissolved after Independence since its utility was over. I would like to remind the Opposition about this wish if they are genuine follower of Gandhian ideals," Fadnavis told reporters when asked about a march taken out by NCP-SP commemorating the 155th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. -- PTI

By Subhash K Jha

Applause Entertainment's series on the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi directed by Hansal Mehta, seems to get bigger by the month.

The big announcement on Gandhi Jayanti is that A R Rahman would be scoring the music for this purported epic series.

Rahman is no stranger to historical epics: he has earlier scored music for Ketan Mehta's Mangal Pandey: The Rising, Raj Kumar Santoshi's The Legend Of Bhagat Singh and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Rang De Basanti.

On Rahman's onboarding Applause Entertainments Gandhi, director Hansal Mehta comments,"Gandhi is a deeply human retelling of M K Gandhis life story, a story that continues to inspire generations. Having A R Rahman join us on this journey is truly a dream come true. His music has the unique ability to elevate storytelling and for a project of this scale and significance, we couldn't think of anyone better to bring the emotional and spiritual nuances of Gandhi's life to the forefront."

Speaking on the enduring relevance of Gandhi, Hansal Mehta says, "There is much to learn from the journey as there is from the man. There is a Gandhi within each of us, we just need to have that awareness of both our flaws and our goodness. We must overcome our flaws with humanity and empathy. Without being swayed by his greatness there is so much in his path that we can apply to our own lives."

A 23-year-old passenger, who recently lost his job and failed to get employment thereafter, stabbed a Bengaluru bus conductor after he was asked to move away from the door of the vehicle for safety reasons, police said on Wednesday.

The video of the incident which happened in Whitefield on Tuesday evening went viral on social media platforms.

The accused, Harsha Sinha, a native of Jharkhand, was recently fired by the business process outsourcing firm where he was employed, they said.

He was allegedly frustrated as he was unemployed since the last about three weeks.

According to police, the incident occurred near ITPL bus stop when the 45-year-old conductor of the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) bus, Yogesh asked Sinha to move away from the footboard for safety as he was interrupting boarding and de-boarding of passengers.

This led to a verbal duel between the duo and Sinha allegedly pulled out a knife from his bag and stabbed the conductor.

The accused then allegedly tried to threaten other passengers forcing them to vacate the bus. The bus driver, Siddalingaswamy locked the door and jumped out, leaving Sinha inside.

Later, Sinha allegedly took a hammer and started vandalising the bus.

In the purported video of the incident, passengers can be seen running out of the bus in fear after being threatened by Sinha, who also broke window glasses of the vehicle.

"The bus conductor was admitted to a hospital. He sustained two-three stab injuries but is stated to be out of danger now. The accused passenger has been arrested in the attempt to murder case registered against him," a senior police officer said.

During interrogation, the accused told police that he did not do it intentionally and that he was frustrated since he was fired from job some 20 days ago, he said. -- PTI

15:55 IAF chopper makes emergency landing in Bihar

An Indian Air Force helicopter made an emergency landing in Muzaffarpur district of Bihar on Wednesday after it developed a snag, officials said.

Senior Superintendent of Police Rakesh Kumar said the helicopter was coming from adjoining Darbhanga after air-dropping relief material.

"The helicopter made an emergency landing in a water-logged area in Aurai block. All the occupants were IAF personnel and they were pulled out by locals by the time officials reached the spot," said the SSP.

District Magistrate Subrat Kumar Sen said, "All four occupants appear safe and unharmed. However, as a precaution, they are being taken to a local hospital for check-up and treatment, if required." -- PTI

The Delhi Police has beefed up security around the Israel embassy in Tughlak Road area after the tension increased in the middle east.

A senior Delhi Police officer said the checking has been intensified with the deployment of more security personnel around the Israel embassy located at Tughlak Road area.

The officer said a multi-layered security has already been put in place with several CCTV cameras installed around both structures as the embassy has witnessed blasts twice earlier, though no one was injured in any of the incidents. -- PTI

AICC in-charge of Maharashtra Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday exuded confidence that the Maha Vikas Aghadi will defeat the ruling Mahayuti in the upcoming state assembly polls, which he claimed were being delayed.

The seat-sharing talks with the Maha Vikas Aghadi partners were progressing smoothly and the opposition alliance will unitedly fight the state polls, the Congress leader said, adding there were no differences among the MVA constituents.

The MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP).

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are likely to be held next month.

"We will defeat the Mahayuti (comprising the Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP). The question is when will the elections be held," Chennithala told reporters after paying homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 155th birth anniversary at Mani Bhavan in Mumbai.

He said the seat-sharing talks are on and will continue for some time.

"The elections are being delayed and the state cabinet is taking 40 decisions in a day. The issue will be of implementation of these decisions," he said.

State Congress chief Nana Patole said elaborate discussions were needed and hence there was a delay in finalising the seat-sharing formula.

The MVA is determined to defeat the "corrupt" Mahayuti government, he said. -- PTI

A letter threatening bomb blasts at several railway stations and religious places in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh was received at the Hanumangarh railway station, police said on Wednesday.

Additional SP, Hanumangarh, Pyare Lal Meena said the letter was delivered by post to the Hanumangarh station master and the local police was informed on Tuesday evening.

"It was threatened in the letter, which was in the name of Jaish-e-Mohammed, that the railway station and places in Ganganagar, Hanumangarh, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Kota, Bundi, Udaipur, Jaipur will be blown up by bombs on October 30," he said.

The sender also threatened bomb blasts at religious places in Rajasthan as well as in Madhya Pradesh on November 2.

Jaish-e-Mohammad is a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation.

Meena said personnel of the Government Railway Police (GRP), local police and BSF have conducted a search.

A case has been registered with the GRP police station and efforts are underway to track the sender. -- PTI

Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan's daughter on Wednesday gave a declaration at Tirumala temple that she has faith in Lord Venkateswara.

The Deputy CM's youngest daughter Palina Anjani Konidela is reportedly a non-Hindu and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) - the official custodian of Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati - rules mandate that non-Hindus have to declare their faith in the deity before making a visit to the temple.

"Palina Anjani Konidela gave the declaration for Srivari (deity) visit in Tirumala. She signed the documents provided by TTD staff. As Palina Anjani is a minor, her father Pawan Kalyan also endorsed the documents," said a Janasena press release.

Currently, Kalyan is on a three-day visit to the temple as part of his 11-day penance to atone for the alleged sins committed by the previous YSRCP regime at Tirumala.

The declaration assumes significance as BJP leaders and several Hindu outfits had demanded that YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, a Christian, has to issue a similar declaration before his recent cancelled visit to the temple. -- PTI

Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar met Union Home Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Amit Shah in Mumbai on Wednesday.

What transpired in the meeting was not yet known.

The meeting comes against the backdrop of differences in the ruling Mahayuti alliance over the presence of Ajit Pawar-led NCP and his party's opposition to the anti-Muslim tirade by some BJP leaders.

Leaders of the Shiv Sena, which is led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, have also been critical of the NCP.

The three Mahayuti partners were yet to finalise the seat-sharing for elections to the 228-member assembly which are expected to be held next month.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis last week acknowledged that the BJP received fewer votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from its new ally NCP than those from the Shiv Sena.

Ajit Pawar had earlier stated the Mahayuti partners will stay united and he will work to ensure the alliance's victory in the state assembly polls.

Shah addressed BJP workers in Mumbai on Tuesday. -- PTI

Amid spike in tensions in West Asia following hostilities between Iran and Israel, India on Wednesday said it is closely monitoring the escalation in the security situation in the region.

India also advised its nationals to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran.

Those residing in Iran were requested to remain vigilant and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran.

"We are closely monitoring the recent escalation in security situation in the region," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

"Indian nationals are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Iran," it said.

"Those currently residing in Iran are requested to remain vigilant and stay in contact with the Indian Embassy in Tehran," the MEA said in a statement. -- PTI

The Mumbai crime branch personnel have met actor Govinda, who sustained leg injuries after his revolver accidentally went off, and enquired with him about the incident, officials said on Wednesday.

While the local police have been conducting an investigation, the Mumbai crime branch has also initiated a parallel enquiry into the incident.

No one has lodged any complaint in this matter so far, police said.

The accident took place on Tuesday at the Mumbai residence of the 60-year-old actor and he is currently recuperating at a private hospital in Mumbai.

A crime branch team led by senior police inspector Daya Nayak visited the hospital on Tuesday and spoke to the actor about the incident, an official said.

Govinda was alone when the incident took place at his residence in the early hours of Tuesday, he said.

The actor has a licensed revolver of Webley company and the bullet hit him near his left knee, the official said.

The revolver, which is an old one, was not locked and got misfired, he said.

The actor's revolver has been seized by police officials for further probe, an official earlier said.

After the incident, Govinda, a favourite with audiences for his impeccable comic timing and dancing skills, issued a statement informing his fans he is doing better.

11:15 Kejriwal gets new house in Lutyens Delhi: AAP

A house has been finalised in New Delhi area for the Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal where he will move along with his family in the next one to two days, vacating the official residence of Delhi chief minister at Flagstaff Road in Civil Lines, the AAP said on Wednesday.

Kejriwal is likely to move in with his family in one of the two official bungalows allotted to the AAP Rajya Sabha MPs on Feroz Shah Road near Mandi House, sources in the party claimed.

The two bungalows are just a few metres away to the AAP headquarters at Ravi Shankar Shukla Lane, they said.

Kejriwal, who resigned as the Delhi chief minister earlier this month, said that he would vacate the official Flagstaff Road residence during the Navratri period. The auspicious Hindu festival commences from Thursday.

'Kejriwal will leave the official CM residence in next 1-2 days, as a house has been finalised for him and his family,' the party said in a statement without disclosing location of the new accommodation.

Kejriwal will live with his family in the New Delhi constituency represented by him in the Delhi Assembly, the party said.

Earlier, the AAP also demanded the Central government to provide an official residence to Kejriwal as the chief of a national party. -- PTI

11:14 Warrant issued against MUDA 'scam' complainant

A Mysuru court has issued a non-bailable warrant against social activist Snehamayi Krishna, the complainant in the alleged MUDA land 'scam', for failing to appear in a cheque bounce case.

Krishna was unable to attend the court on Tuesday as he had to appear before the Lokayukta police following a notice issued to him by the investigation officers probing the MUDA site allotment case against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others, sources close to him said.

"Krishna missed the appearance due to a scheduling conflict and vowed to attend the court soon," a source said.

The Lokayukta police had booked CM Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi and two others in the MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) land allotment case on the directions of a special court based on Krishna's petition.

A team of Lokayukta police probing the case on Tuesday surveyed the land, in lieu of which 14 sites were 'illegally' allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in Mysuru.

The team that visited the 3.16 acre land was joined by the special land acquisition officer, surveyors and town planning members from the MUDA, official sources said, adding, Krishna was also present. -- PTI

Photograph: Ammar Awad/Reuters

10:33 Iranian attack appears to have been defeated: Biden

The Iranian missile attack on Israel appears to have been defeated and ineffective, United States President Joe Biden said, hours after Tehran fired nearly 200 missiles at Israel.

The Israeli military reportedly said there were no news of injuries from the attack.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Biden said, "At my direction, the United States military actively supported the defence of Israel. We are still assessing the impact but, based on what we know, the attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective and this is a testament to Israeli military capability. (It is) also a testament to intensive planning (between) the United States and Israel to anticipate and defend against a brazen attack."

"Make no mistake, the United States is fully supportive of Israel. And I just spent the morning and part of the afternoon in the situation room, meeting with my whole national security team The national security team, as I said, is in constant contact with Israeli officials and counterparts...," he added.

Biden directed the US military to aid Israel's defence against Iranian attacks and shoot down missiles targeting the country, the White House said.

While most of the missiles were destroyed before reaching their target, some did impact and cause minimal damage, the Pentagon press secretary Major General Patrick S Ryder said.

Two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers -- the USS Cole and USS Bulkeley -- deployed in the eastern Mediterranean fired a dozen interceptors at the incoming Iranian ballistic missiles as part of its defence of Israel, he added.

Condemning the attack, Vice-President Kamala Harris said, "I condemn this attack unequivocally. I am clear-eyed -- Iran is a destabilising, dangerous force in the Middle East and today's attack on Israel only further demonstrates that fact."

Iran is not only a threat to Israel but also to American personnel in the region, American interests, and innocent civilians across the region who suffer at the hands of Iran based and backed terrorist proxies, she added.

"We will never hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to defend US forces and interests against Iran and Iran-backed terrorists. And we will continue to work with our allies and partners to disrupt Iran's aggressive behaviour and hold them accountable," Harris said.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that this was Iran's second direct attack on Israel in five months.

"This is totally unacceptable and the entire world should condemn it," he said.

"Initial reports suggest that Israel, with the active support of the United States and other partners, effectively defeated this attack. We have demonstrated, once again, our commitment to Israel's defence. We will remain in very close touch with Israel and other partners in the region in the hours and days ahead," Blinken said.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that the US military coordinated closely with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to help defend Israel against the attack.

"Based on what we know at this point, this attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective. This was first and foremost the result of the professionalism of the IDF but in no small part because of the skilled work of the US military and meticulous joint planning in anticipation of the attack," he said.

"We are also aware of reports of a terrorist attack in Jaffa that took the lives of a number of Israeli civilians and wounded several others today. Our condolences go out to the families of the victims and to the family of the Palestinian civilian in Jericho ," he added.

Sullivan further said the US would consult with the Israelis on the next steps in terms of the response.

Before and during the attack, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant, said Ryder.

"He reaffirmed the United States' ironclad commitment to the defence of Israel and underscored that the US remains well-postured throughout the Middle East region to protect US forces and defend Israel in the face of threats from Iran and Iran-backed terrorist organisations," he said.

Former president Donald Trump, on the other hand, blamed the Biden administration for the attack.

"The world is on fire and spiralling out of control. We have no leadership, no one running the country. We have a non-existent president in Joe Biden, and a completely absent Vice-President Kamala Harris, who is too busy fundraising in San Francisco... No one is in charge and it is not even clear who is more confused: Biden or Kamala. Neither has any idea what is even going on," he said in a statement.

"When I was president, Iran was in total check. They were starved for cash, fully contained, and desperate to make a deal. Kamala flooded them with American cash and, ever since, they have been exporting terror all over... Under 'President Trump,' we had no war in the Middle East, no war in Europe, and Harmony in Asia, no inflation, no Afghanistan catastrophe. Instead, we had peace. Now, war or the threat of war is raging everywhere and the two incompetents running this country are leading us to the brink of World War III. You would not trust Joe or Kamala to run a lemonade stand, let alone lead the free world," Trump said. -- PTI

Image only for representation

10:06 7 more children take ill after having mid-day meal at Thane school

Seven more children have fallen sick due to suspected food poisoning after consuming mid-day meal at a private school near Maharashtra's Thane city, taking the total number of minors hospitalised to 45, officials said on Wednesday.

The children, aged between 8 and 11 years, were admitted to a civic hospital in Kalwa town after they complained of giddiness, nausea, headache and pain in the abdomen after lunch on Tuesday, according to medical officials at the hospital.

Initially, 38 students were hospitalised on Tuesday. Seven more children were admitted to the facility late night.

The children were being monitored and if found fit, they would be discharged by Wednesday afternoon, the hospital's medical in-charge, Dr Aniruddha Malgaonkar, told PTI.

All the children were out of danger and responding to the medical treatment, Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) Additional Commissioner Sandeep Malvi said on Tuesday.

He confirmed that the children had eaten a mid-day meal at the private school.

Another medical official said the students were served rice and moth bean (matki) curry as the meal.

Samples of food served to students have been collected by FDA officials. According to officials, initially, five students complained of uneasiness and their number swelled gradually.

"Ambulances were summoned by the school administration and the students were rushed to the hospital," they added.

The parents of the children were also present at the hospital. -- PTI

09:55 Dera chief walks out of jail on 20-day parole

Dera Sacha Sauda chief and rape convict Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh on Wednesday walked out of the Sunaria jail in Haryana's Rohtak after he was granted a 20-day parole.

During his temporary release period, Singh will stay at the Dera ashram in Barnawa in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat.

He came out of jail under tight security this morning after his release on parole, an official said.

The Haryana government has granted a 20-day parole to Singh while barring him from taking part in election-related activities, making speeches and staying in the state during the period.

Singh is serving a 20-year sentence given in 2017 for raping two of his disciples.

The Dera chief and three others were also convicted in 2019 for the murder of a journalist more than 16 years ago.

He had sought a 20-day parole ahead of the October 5 Haryana Assembly polls.

According to the parole conditions, the sect chief will not take part in any election-related activity or deliver public speeches and will stay out of Haryana during the period.

He will stay at Dera ashram in Uttar Pradesh's Barnawa (Baghpat) during the period.

The Dera chief had said that he wanted to stay in Baghpat during the parole if granted.

The jail department had recently forwarded the Dera chief's parole plea to the office of the Haryana Chief Electoral Officer in view of the Model Code being in place for the assembly polls.

Chief Electoral Officer Pankaj Agarwal had said on Monday that the Haryana government may consider Singh's parole subject to the correctness of facts mentioned in his parole plea and satisfying other conditions with respect to the Model Code of Conduct for the elections.

Haryana goes to polls on October 5 and the results will be declared on October 8.

In the past, some of Singh's paroles and furloughs have coincided with the polls in Punjab, Haryana and neighbouring states. The opposition parties had criticised the grant of relief to Singh.

Earlier in August this year, Singh was granted a 21-day furlough. He was granted three weeks' furlough from February 7, 2022 barely two weeks before the Punjab assembly polls.

In May, the high court acquitted Singh and four others in the 2002 murder of the sect's former manager Ranjit Singh, citing 'tainted and sketchy' investigations in the matter.

A special CBI court had sentenced them to life imprisonment in the nearly 20-year-old murder case.

Singh had been held guilty of hatching a criminal conspiracy with his co-accused. -- PTI

09:49 How many Indian homes had access to toilets?

Shikha Chaturvedi/Business Standard

The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), launched on Mahatma Gandhis birthday 10 years ago, has given an opportunity to reflect on its achievements and challenges.

The initiative comprises two components: Gramin (rural) and Urban, aimed at eliminating open defecation, improving unsanitary toilets, eradicating manual scavenging, enhancing solid waste management, and promoting behavioral change regarding sanitation.

For 2023-2024, Rs 7,192 crore (Rs 71.92 billion) was allocated for the rural sector, while Rs 5,000 crore (Rs 50 billion) was earmarked for urban areas.

Allocation to the rural part of the mission saw a rebound in 2022-2023 after a decline for four consecutive years, while for the urban segment there was a marked increase in only 2023-2024 (Revised Estimates).

The Budget allocation for this year is projected to see a minuscule increase in the rural component. However, allocation to urban parts saw a massive downward revision in Revised Estimates of 2023-2024 from the Budget Estimates by around 49 per cent.

Open defecation was the central focus of the initiative, and the government declared India 'Open Defecation Free' (ODF) in 2019. Although there has been a decrease in open defecation, the data from the World Bank shows that 11 per cent of the population still practised it in 2022, mostly in rural areas.

This remains higher than in neighbouring countries like Pakistan (6.8 per cent) and Afghanistan (8.8 per cent). The government now aims to make villages ODF Plus. Currently, 93 per cent of villages have achieved this status, according to the official data.

Additionally, 78 per cent of the waste is processed. The government has exceeded its toilet construction target of 507,587 by 25 per cent, completing 636,826 toilets.

Moreover, access to toilet facilities has improved significantly, with 82.5 per cent of households reporting access in 2019-21, up from 45 per cent in 2004-2005. Urban centres have 95.6 per cent access to toilets compared to 76 per cent in rural India.

Experts note that improvements in sanitation facilities have led to a threshold effect, where district-level toilet coverage of 30 per cent or more correlates with significant reductions in infant and child mortality rates.

Studies reveal that districts with over 30 per cent toilet coverage under SBM experienced reductions of 5.3 in the Infant Mortality Rate and 6.8 in the Under-5 Mortality Rate per thousand live births.

Data from the World Bank indicates a decline in these rates, but the reductions have not been as dramatic post-implementation of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

09:10 EV sales crawl monthwise

Nitin Kumar/Business Standard

Electric vehicle (EV) sales saw a robust growth of 19 per cent in the first half (H1) of 2024-2025, rising to 836,621 units from 702,013 units in H1 of 2023-2024.

However, monthly, the increase was modest, with a 1.22 per cent rise from Augusts 146,745 units.

EV sales also showed a 24.65 per cent annual growth in September, climbing to 148,539 units compared to 119,163 units in the same month last year.

Despite the continued upward trend in electric mobility, Septembers sales ranked as the third highest this calendar year, following Marchs peak of 203,506 units and July 2024s 169,746 units, according to Vahan data from the ministry of road transport and highways.

The modest rise in September EV sales is still regarded as a positive sign by sector experts, as consumers typically avoid purchasing vehicles, homes, or property during the Shradh/Pitru Paksha month, a period considered inauspicious in Hindu tradition for buying high-value items.

The slight uptick is attributed to the high discounts and offers announced by automotive manufacturers.

"People usually refrain from purchases during Pitru Paksha and prefer to make buying decisions during the festival season in October and November. However, this time, it seems the discounts and offers from manufacturers and dealers helped push sales, which is rare during this period," said Preetesh Singh, a specialist in CASE and alternative powertrains at NRI Consulting & Solutions.

The increase is attributed to the low base in August, which saw a decline of nearly 13 per cent compared to the 169,746 units recorded in July this year.

"The rise isn't significant, and the base was also low," Singh noted.

Industry executives predict a considerable sales boost in October as the festival season kicks off on October 3. They expect a 10 to 15 per cent increase in sales during the month. Launches by EV players will also boost customer confidence in October and the coming months.

"We have launched a few new products. The festival season and government incentives will provide respite to the sector," said Ayush Lohia, chief executive officer of Zuperia Auto (formerly Lohia Auto).

The top five players collectively sold 83,076 vehicles in August: Ola Electric led with 23,965, followed by Bajaj Auto with 23,529, TVS Motor Company with 17,923, Ather Energy with 12,579, and Mahindra Last Mile Mobility (formerly known as Mahindra Electric Mobility) with 5,080 vehicles.

Overall, vehicle sales surpassed the 1.23 million mark in the first eight months of 2024.

This year, sales declined following the end of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid &) Electric Vehicles (FAME) subsidy on March 31 and the introduction of the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme 2024, which further halved the subsidy, resulting in the steepest decline of the year.

To provide another push to the sector, on September 11, the Union Cabinet approved two major schemes with a total outlay of Rs 14,335 crore (Rs 143.35 billion) to promote the use of EVs, including buses, ambulances, and trucks.

The two schemes are the PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement (PM E-DRIVE) with an outlay of Rs 10,900 crore (Rs 109 billion) over two years, and the PM-eBus Sewa-Payment Security Mechanism with a budget of Rs 3,435 crore (Rs 34.35 billion).

The introduction of these schemes is expected to help drive EV sales in the coming months. The PM E-DRIVE scheme was rolled out on October 1.

Guy Nir, Spokesperson of the Israel Embassy in India, while talking to ANI, said that India and Israel are on the same page as both countries believe in condemnation of terror activities.

Nir said that India is one of the most peaceful countries, and Israel would appreciate swift action by India to end the war.

"First of all, any terror activity should be condemned and should be stopped. And the fact that Prime Minister Modi is speaking about that just shows you that we're on the same page. Terrorism needs to be eliminated. So I'm thankful for that. As for the role of India, this is really for India to decide," he said.

He said that everyone would appreciate a swift resolution for the escalation.

"I will not tell any Indian diplomat how to conduct anything. I've been living here for a year, and India is one of the most peaceful countries that I've been to, and if you can make it work with all the large variety of people that you have here if you can give us assistance, I'm sure we would all appreciate a swift resolution for this matter," he said.

Nir said that Iran's condemnation of Israel's actions is 'laughable' as Iran has the blood of thousands of people in its hands.

Nir said that Israel would not stop until Gaza releases all the 100 people they have held as hostages.

"For the last 11 months, Hezbollah has been firing rockets at Israel indiscriminately. We have been calling for diplomatic action... We have been waiting and focusing our attention at the south until we have had right now the attention span to hit Hezbollah back. For about two weeks, we have been targeting Hezbollah high-ranked officials.In the last 24 hours we have begun a ground operation to try to eliminate more terrorists on the ground," he said.

When asked how long is the conflict going to last, he said that even they didn't want this to prolong.

"That's a tricky question. I cannot foresee the future until exactly how long, but I can tell you that we are looking for something short. We don't want this to prolong. The longer this continues, the more in danger it puts our soldiers. We're looking for something short and quick to finish as soon as we can and get out," he said.

Talking about ceasefire, he said that they are eliminating terrorists and are protecting their citizens. -- ANI

IMAGE: People take cover by the side of a road as a siren sound, after Iran fired a salvo of ballistic missiles at Israel, in Tel Aviv, on October 1, 2024. Photograph: Tomer Appelbaum/Reuters

08:44 India 2nd Best Global Market In H1FY25

Sameer Mulgaonkar/Business Standard

India was the second-best performing major global market during the first half of financial year 2024-25 (H1FY25) after Hong Kong.

Singapore, US and China were among the top five best-performing markets.

If not for a late surge in the Hong Kong market, India would have been the best-performing market during this period.

The Hang Seng rose 17.5 per cent in September, of which 16 per cent of the gain came during the past five sessions of the month.

India, on the other hand, took consistent strides during the first half. Barring a marginal loss in May, the benchmark Nifty 50 index rose during each of the months.

The gains in the domestic markets were supported by strong investor flows, the status quo in the government after the general elections in May and high economic growth outlook.

During the H1FY25, domestic mutual funds pumped in Rs 1.8 trillion, while foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth Rs 92,400 crore (Rs 924 billion).

All sectoral indices compiled by NSE rose during the first half. Consumer durables, auto and metal stocks were among the best-performers.

08:30 Daily UPI Transactions Cross 500 Mn

Shine Jacob/Business Standard

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) daily transactions crossed 501 million in September, the highest ever since UPI turned operational in 2016.

It registered a marginal increase of 0.5 per cent in volume to 15.04 billion in September compared to 14.96 billion in August.

In value terms, Rs 68,800 crore (Rs 688 billion) were secured in value terms in September. The number remained almost static at Rs 20.64 trillion in September, compared to Rs 20.61 trillion in August.

The number of daily transactions is higher than 483 million and Rs 66,475 crore (Rs 664.75 billion) in August.

In July, the numbers were seen at 14.44 billion in volume and Rs 20.64 trillion in value.

According to the data shared by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), in September, UPI volume posted a 42% year-on-year growth and 31% year-on-year growth in value.

"The September UPI transaction numbers reflect, once again, how UPI has become a part and parcel of digital transactions in India. Data shows an increase in micro transactions," said Sunil Rongala, senior vice-president, head -- Strategy, Innovation and Analytics, Worldline India.

"The statistics from previous months also indicate that the growth in UPI transactions volume is being driven by Person to Merchant (P2M) transactions (transactions for buying goods or services)," he added.

The Immediate Payment Service (IMPS) transaction volume was down by 5 per cent in September to 430 million from 453 million in August.

In value terms, IMPS transactions were down by 2 per cent to Rs 5.65 trillion, compared to Rs 5.78 trillion in August.

In July, this was seen at 490 million in volume and Rs 5.78 trillion in value.

The September numbers were 9 per cent down in volume and 11 per cent up in value compared to the same month last year.

FASTag transactions saw a dip of 3 per cent in September to 318 million in volume, compared to 329 million in August. In value terms, this was seen marginally up to Rs 5,620 crore (Rs 56.20 billion) versus Rs 5,611 crore (Rs 56.11 billion) in August.

In July, FASTag volume was seen at 323 million and value at Rs 5,578 crore (Rs 55.78 billion). The month saw a 7 per cent rise in volume and 10 per cent in value compared to September 2023.

In September, the Aadhaar Enabled Payment System (AePS) remained at 100 million, the same as in August. This was 97 million in July. In value terms too, it was down by 2 per cent to Rs 24,143 crore (Rs 241.43 billion) compared to Rs 24,676 crore (Rs 246.76 billion) a month ago. The segment saw a 1 per cent dip in volume and 7 per cent in value compared to September 2023.

Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple in Ayodhya/File image

01:29 Meat sale banned in Ayodhya during Navratri

Ayodhya administration on Tuesday banned the sale, distribution and serving of all kind of meat products in the district during the nine-day Navratri festival which begins on October 3.

In view of the upcoming Navratri festival, all goat/chicken/fish/beef meat shops in the district will remain closed from October 3-11, said an order issued by assistant commissioner (food safety and drug administration) of Ayodhya.

The order is also applicable to those hotels and restaurants which serve non-vegetarian food.

All eateries are not allowed to serve or cooked meat during the period, it said.

The order said that if the general public finds any meat product being sold or stored in these shops or restaurants during this period, they should inform the food safety department on 05278366607. -- PTI

File image

01:01 Indian Embassy issues advisory as Iran launches missile attack on Israel

Following Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel, the Indian Embassy has advised its citizens to remain vigilant and follow safety protocols as instructed by local authorities.

"Please exercise caution, avoid unnecessary travel within the country, and stay near safety shelters. The Embassy is closely monitoring the situation and is in regular contact with Israeli authorities to ensure the safety of all our nationals," the embassy stated in its advisory.

"In case of any emergency, please contact the 24/7 helpline of the Embassy: Telephone: A. +972-547520711 B. +972-543278392 Email: consi.telaviv@mea.gov.in. Those Indian nationals who have yet to register with the Embassy are requested to do so at the following link: https://forms.gle/ftp3DEXgJwH8XVRdA," the Indian Embassy posted on X.

On Tuesday, in a significant escalation of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, Iran launched a missile attack on Israel. In a statement, the IDF reported that all Israeli civilians are currently in bomb shelters as rockets are being fired from Iran towards Israel.

The IDF also noted that Hezbollah is retaliating after their plans to massacre Israeli civilians were exposed, launching a barrage of rockets at innocent civilians.

According to the Jerusalem Post, 102 missiles have been fired at Israel, with sirens continuing to sound across the country, as reported by the Times of Israel.

The IDF stated that approximately 10 million civilians are being targeted by Iranian projectiles. -- ANI

File image

00:54 Centre provides Z category VIP security cover to Radha Soami head

The Centre has granted the Z category VIP security cover of armed paramilitary commandos to Jasdeep Singh Gill, the newly appointed spiritual head of the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, official sources said Tuesday.

The Union home ministry has asked the Central Reserve Police Force to take charge of the security of the 45-year-old religious head.

A Z category security cover has been approved by the Centre for Gill following a threat perception report prepared and recommended by central intelligence agencies.

Armed CRPF commandos will secure him across the country, the sources said.

A squad of 12-14 commandos will be with the VIP round-the-clock and in shifts, they said.

The Radha Soami Satsang Beas, headquartered along the banks of Beas river near Amritsar in Punjab, has a large number of followers across the country and abroad.

Top political leaders, business tycoons and famous people from various walks of life visit the sect headquarters regularly. Gill was appointed as the head of the sect early last month.

He is an Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi alumnus, and holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from Cambridge.

He was the chief strategy officer and senior management personnel at Cipla, India, from where he stepped down earlier this year.

His wife is a doctor. -- PTI

A government school headmaster's body was found hanging within the institution's building in Amroha on Tuesday, with the Amroha district administration ordering a probe into the suspected suicide case.

Sanjeev Kumar (50) worked at the composite school in Sultanpur area under Gajraula Police Station limits of the district.

He has alleged harassment by two colleagues and the district's basic education officer, officials said. District Magistrate Nidhi Gupta said the headmaster's body was found hanging in the school and senior administrative officials were sent to the spot.

"An investigation team led by Additional DM (Judiciary) and comprising chief development officer, district inspector of Schools and additional superintendent of police has been formed to probe the matter," Gupta told reporters.

Asked about those named in the suicide note as accused, the DM said, "Prima facie, the names that appeared include two teachers of the school -- Raghvendra Singh and Sarita Singh -- and BSA (Basic Shiksha Adhikari) Monika.' -- PTI

File image

00:14 6 people killed in shooting in Israeli capital

The Israeli police have reported a deadly shooting attack in Tel Aviv on Tuesday evening, with six people killed when two assailants opened fire on a bustling boulevard in the Jaffa neighbourhood, reports Associated Press.

The suspects were subsequently neutralised by authorities, AP reported.

The attack coincided with a barrage of Iranian rockets targeting Israel, causing widespread panic and prompting residents to seek shelter nationwide, including in Tel Aviv, the news agency said.

560 kg of cocaine worth Rs 2000 cr seized in Delhi

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