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Fri, 11 October 2024

DGCA to examine Sharjah AI Express plane's snag

Timeline Refresh

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23:33 CR to operate traffic-power blocks for Carnac road overbridge girder launch

Central Railway said it will operate special traffic and power blocks in the intervening nights of October 12-13 and October 13-14 to launch girders of the Carnac road overbridge between CSMT and Masjid stations.

In a release issued on Friday evening, CR said the block on October 12-13 will be of six hours, while the one on October 13-14 will be of three hours.

"The blocks are expected to impact suburban train services on the Main and Harbour lines as suburban services will remain shut between Byculla-CSMT on the main line and Vadala Road and CSMT on the Harbour Line. During the block periods, suburban trains will be short-terminated at Byculla, Parel, Kurla, and Vadala Road stations," the release said.

Several long-distance mail and express trains will be short-terminated at Dadar and Panvel, with some rescheduled, while several services will remain cancelled. which may cause some inconvenience to passengers, it added. -- PTI

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23:02 More than 12,000 cops to man Mumbai streets during Dussehra rallies

More than 12,000 personnel and officers of the Mumbai police will be deployed for the Dussehra rallies of the Shiv Sena and Shiv Sena-UBT and immersion of Durga idols in the city, an official said on Friday.

Shiv Sena-UBT will hold its annual Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park, and the Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, will conduct a gathering at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Saturday.

Supporters of both political parties from across the state are expected to throng the city in large numbers for these events, the official said.

Elaborate security arrangements have been made at both these places, and police personnel will be deployed for rallies, he said. More than 12,000 police personnel, six additional commissioners of police, 27 deputy commissioners, 54 assistant commissioners and 2,300 police officers will be on the streets to avoid any untoward incidents, the official said.

Platoons of the state reserve police force (SRPF), quick response teams (QRT), riot control police, delta, combat forces, and home guards have also been stationed, he said. -- PTI

AI Express flight's pilot Iqrom Rifadly Fahmi Zainal and co-pilot Maitryee Shrikrishna Shitole leave Tiruchirapalli airport/ANI on X

22:43 DGCA to examine Sharjah AI Express plane's snag

Aviation regulator DGCA will conduct a thorough examination of the Air India Express plane that suffered a hydraulic failure while operating a flight from Trichy to Sharjah on Friday to ascertain the cause of the glitch.

The aircraft carrying 141 people suffered a hydraulic failure soon after take-off and went around Trichy for nearly two-and-a-half hours before making a safe landing at Trichy airport.

In a statement, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said the airport and emergency teams responded swiftly and effectively after a full emergency was declared at 1805 hours.

The flight landed at 2015 hours.

"The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has been instructed to conduct a thorough examination of the aircraft to determine the exact cause of the hydraulic issue," said the minister.

"In the meantime, Air India Express has been advised to provide all necessary assistance to the passengers, including alternate arrangements for their onward journey," Naidu said. -- PTI

Gangotri temple/File image

22:33 Gangotri temple to close for winter on Nov 2, Yamunotri on Nov 3

The doors of Gangotri and Yamunotri temples will close for the winter season on November 2 and 3 respectively.

All temples located in the Garhwal Himalayas, also known as Char Dham, are closed in winter as they become snowbound.

The Gangotri temple's portals will close at 12.14 pm on the occasion of Annakoot festival on November 2, Gangotri Temple Committee secretary Suresh Semwal said.

Yamunotri temple priest Rawal Ashish Uniyal said the portals of the shrine will be closed on November 3 on the occasion of Bhai Dooj.

The auspicious time for the closure of the temple will be decided on Dussehra on October 12 in accordance with the tradition, he said.

After the closure of the Gangotri temple, the idol of Goddess Ganga will be taken in a palanquin to a temple in Mukhba village where she will be worshipped during winter. -- PTI

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22:10 Several feared hurt in train collision in TN

An express train rammed into a stationary train at Kavarapettai in Tamil Nadu and several passengers are feared injured, the police said.

A fire broke out quickly near a coach and only sketchy information is available right now on the accident, the railway police said.

At least two coaches have derailed and rescue teams and ambulances have rushed to the spot, the police added.

When contacted to seek information on the mishap, railway officials did not answer phone calls.

Kavarapettai is near Chennai.

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22:08 Snag on Delhi Metro's yellow line hits commuters

Delhi Metro passengers had a harrowing time on Friday evening after a technical snag was reported on the Yellow Line, officials said.

The officials said they were looking into the issue.

A large number of passengers were stuck at the Patel Chowk Metro Station. Several passengers also de-boarded the train and came out of station.

The Yellow Line connects Samaypur Badli in Delhi to Millennium City Centre in Gurugram.

The DMRC, on a social media post on X, said there was delay in services from Rajiv Chowk to Kashmere Gate stations. There was normal service on all other lines, it added.

Meanwhile, a man was found standing on a track around 6.30 pm at Tagore Garden Metro Station on Blue Line, due to which services were affected for 10 to 15 minutes, they said.

The Blue Line connects Dwarka with Vaishali and Noida City Centre.

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister-designate Omar Abdullah on Friday called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in Srinagar and staked claim to form the National Conference-Congress alliance government in the Union Territory.

During his meeting with Sinha, Abdullah presented the letters of support from the coalition partners, hours after Congress extended its support to the NC vice president.

Abdullah was unanimously elected as the leader of the NC legislature party on Thursday, paving the way for his second term as the chief minister of J-K.

His first tenure as the chief minister was also as the head of the NC-Congress coalition government from 2009 to 2014.

The NC won 42 of the 90 seats for which elections were held in three phases with the alliance partner Congress bagging six seats.

Although the two parties have a majority in the 95-member House, four Independents and the lone AAP MLA have also extended their support to the NC.

Talking to reporters at his residence after returning from the Raj Bhavan, Abdullah said he requested the LG to fix a date for swearing-in of the new government at the earliest. -- PTI

A 28-year-old food delivery agent was allegedly stabbed to death in Delhi's Rohini by a teenager following an altercation over a common female friend, the police said on Friday.

The incident took place in Vijay Vihar area on Tuesday when Nikhil Tomar (19) stabbed Deepak multiple times, they said.

According to the police, the two men had an altercation last week over the woman that escalated.

"Both the victim and the accused had criminal backgrounds," deputy commissioner of police (Rohini) Amit Goel said.

The police received a PCR call at 5:20 pm on Tuesday regarding a stabbing incident near Nirankari Bhawan.

A police team reached the spot and the victim was taken to a hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, Goel said.

Over 200 CCTV footage were analysed and Tomar was identified that led to his arrest, he said.

During interrogation, he confessed to the crime and disclosed information about his accomplices, who are currently on the run, Goel added. -- PTI

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar/File image

20:34 All is well: Ajit on why he left cabinet meet early

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday sought to scotch speculations over his leaving the state cabinet meeting early, and said that all is well within the ruling Mahayuti alliance comprising Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena and his Nationalist Congress Party.

"I had to leave early to attend a scheduled programme at Ahmedpur in Marathwada region," Pawar told reporters in Mumbai.

"All the cabinet decisions taken yesterday have my approval," he added.

Pawar's brief attendance at a crucial cabinet meeting in Mumbai Thursday had raised eyebrows, particularly as numerous financially significant decisions were taken in his absence.

Thirty-eight decisions-many of them having major financial implications- were taken in the two and a half hours that the meeting continued after he left.

"All is well and speculation about any dispute in the state cabinet meeting is baseless," Pawar said. -- PTI

Ambulances on standby at Tiruchirapalli airport/ANI on X

20:28 Air India Express flight lands safely at Trichy airport

The Air India Express Flight IX 613 with 141 passengers onboard from Tiruchirapalli to Sharjah has landed safely at Tiruchirapalli airport on Friday evening, said the ministry of civil aviation.

DGCA was monitoring the situation.

"The landing gear was opening. The flight has landed normally. The airport was put on alert mode,' said the ministry of civil aviation. -- ANI

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20:18 Modi arrives in Delhi after two-day visit to Laos

Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to Delhi after a two-day visit to Laos during which he participated in the 21st ASEAN-India and the 19th East Asia Summit.

The Prime Minister described his visit "productive" and said it is in line with India's commitment to keep strengthening the relations with ASEAN.

"Thank you Lao PDR! It's been a productive visit, in line with India's commitment to keep strengthening the relations with ASEAN. Together, we will continue to work towards peace, prosperity, and sustainable development in the region," he said in a post on X earlier.

The year 2024 marks a decade of India's Act East Policy. PM Modi joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders to review progress in Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and chart the future direction of our cooperation. -- ANI

Fire tenders at the airport/ANI on X

20:06 Trichy airport on standby as AI flight has glitch

A Sharjah bound flight from Tiruchirappalli, shortly after departure on Friday evening, witnessed mid-air technical glitch, police said.

Attempts are being made by the pilots to land the aircraft in Tiruchirappalli airport and as per initial reports, the fault is related to hydraulic systems, they said.

Fire tenders, rescue personnel and ambulances have been rushed to the airport, the police added. -- PTI

Just In: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah meets the lieutenant governor in Srinagar, stakes claim to form the government.

Delhi Chief Minister Atishi/File image

19:39 Atishi gets back official bungalow after vacating it

The 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow in Civil Lines was formally allotted to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday, two days after she was allegedly forcibly made to vacate it, officials said.

An offer letter issued by the public works department said the bungalow in Civil Lines has been formally allotted to Atishi, after completing the due process of handover and preparation of inventory.

The bungalow was at the centre of an intense tussle involving the Aam Aadmi Party, the Bharatiya Janata Party and the LG office since former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal vacated it earlier this month. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Justine Trudeau/File image

19:26 Modi meets Canadian counterpart Justine Trudeau at Laos

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Justine Trudeau met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Laos, almost a year after his Canadian counterpart accused India of involvement in the death of a Canadian Khalistani separatist.

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation said Trudeau described the meeting as a "brief exchange' when the two leaders met during the Association of South East Asian Nations Summit in Vientiane, Laos held on Thursday.

"I emphasised that there is work that we need to do," the CBC News quoted Trudeau as saying.

"I won't go into details about what we talked about but what I've said many times is that the safety of Canadians and upholding the rule of law is one of the fundamental responsibilities of any Canadian government and that's what I'll stay focused on," Trudeau told a press conference at Vientiane.

The ties between India and Canada were strained last year after Trudeau's allegations in September of a "potential' involvement of Indian agents in Hardeep Singh Nijjar's killing outside a gurdwara in Surrey city on June 18, 2023. --PTI

India's forex reserves dropped by $3.709 billion to $701.176 billion for the week ended October 4, the RBI said on Friday.

In the previous reporting week, the reserves had jumped by $12.588 billion to an all-time high of $704.885 billion.

For the week ended October 4, foreign currency assets, a major component of the reserves, decreased by $3.511 billion to $612.643 billion, the data released on Friday showed.

Expressed in terms of dollar, the foreign currency assets include the effect of appreciation or depreciation of non-US units like the euro, pound and yen held in the foreign exchange reserves. Gold reserves decreased by $40 million to $65.756 billion during the week, the RBI said.

The Special Drawing Rights were down by $123 million to $18.425 billion, the apex bank said.

India's reserve position with the IMF was down by $35 million to $4.352 billion in the reporting week, the apex bank data showed. -- PTI

File image/Courtesy Ola Electric

18:57 Ola slapped with notice after 10K customer plaints

Consumer rights regulator Central Consumer Protection Authority has slapped a notice on electric two-wheeler manufacturer Ola, as it initiates a class action after over 10,000 complaints related to quality and after-sales service remained unaddressed, according to sources.

The National Consumer Helpline has been getting complaints against Ola Electric for the last one year, which were escalated to higher levels at the company for redressal "but there was little interest shown in redressing these complaints," said a source.

Subsequently, the CCPA "started examining these complaints for class action and found that over the last one year, NCH received over 10,000 complaints," the source added.

According to the source, the major categories of consumer complaints include charging during the free service period/warranty, delayed and unsatisfactory services, refusal or delay in warranty services, inadequate services, recurrent defects despite services, inconsistent performance with advertised claims, overcharging and inaccurate invoices. -- PTI

BJP MP Ghanshyam Tiwari/File image

18:37 BJP's Ghanshyam Tiwari made Ethics Parl panel chairman

Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Rajasthan, Ghanshyam Tiwari, has been appointed as the chairman of the Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha by Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar.

The committee has has been reconstituted by the Rajya Sabha chairman with effect from October 10.

Among other members appointed as members of the Committee are Pramod Tiwari (Congress), Derek O'Brien (TMC), Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Sanjay Singh (AAP), V Vijayasai Reddy (YSRCP), Sasmit Patra (BJD), Prem Chand Gupta (RJD), Medha Vishram Kulkarni and Darshana Singh (both BJP).

The Rajya Sabha chairman has also changed the nominations of members in the department related to Parliamentary Standing Committees, with Fauzia Khan changed from Social Justice and Empowerment to Committee to the Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel, V Vijayasai Reddy from Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture to Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. -- PTI

18:11 Pune cops make first arrest in gang-rape case

A week after a woman was allegedly raped by three men on Pune city's outskirts, police have made the first arrest, officials said on Friday, a breakthrough coming after nearly 700 cops worked on the case and scanned hours of CCTV footage.

The 21-year-old woman was allegedly raped by three unidentified men on Thursday (October 3) night in the Bopdev Ghat area where she had gone with a male friend.

About 700 police personnel were deployed to identify and trace the culprits, said Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister, who also holds the home portfolio, while congratulating police for the breakthrough.

"Footage from several CCTV cameras was scanned and on the basis of technical analysis, one suspect has been arrested and a search for the other two suspects was on," said Pune police commissioner Amitesh Kumar.

Kumar was speaking at the launch of new projects for the Pune police worth more than Rs 700 crore in the presence of Fadnavis.

During the incident, the assailants had also tied and beaten up the the victim's male friend, as per the complaint. -- PTI

17:52 BSE Sensex top losers today

Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty ended lower on Friday, dragged by selling in banking, utility and financial stocks as investors turned cautious ahead of key macro data.

The 30-share BSE Sensex fell 230.05 points or 0.28 percent to close at 81,381.36.

During the day, it declined 307.26 points or 0.37 percent to a low of 81,304.15.

The NSE Nifty slipped 34.20 points or 0.14 percent to 24,964.25.

It hit an intraday low of 24,920.05.

From the Sensex pack, Tata Consultancy Services, Mahindra & Mahindra, ICICI Bank, Maruti Suzuki India, Power Grid, Axis Bank and Adani Ports & Special Economic Zones were among the laggards.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday praised the Indian Army as one of the most trusted and inspiring organisations in the country, highlighting its significant role in safeguarding borders, combating terrorism and assisting civil administration in times of need.

Addressing the Army Commanders Conference, held virtually from an army location in Sukma (West Bengal) due to inclement weather that prevented his helicopter from reaching Sikkim, Singh expressed admiration for every soldier's contributions and honoured those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the nation.

"The Indian Army plays a significant role in guarding our borders and fighting terrorism apart from providing assistance to the civil administration in every need of hour," he said while addressing the Army Commanders Conference.

He commended the Army leadership for advancing the nation's 'Defence and Security' vision, as outlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Singh noted that he has attended the Army Commanders' Conference for over five years, emphasising that these high-level discussions benefit both the armed forces and the nation as a whole.

He also praised the Army's efforts in integrating cutting-edge technology. -- PTI

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17:20 LOCs against Briton among 6 in Rs 7K cr drugs haul

The Delhi police, which is probing the city's biggest-ever seizure of cocaine worth over Rs 7,000 crore, has issued look-out circulars against six people, including an Indian-origin UK national who fled the country before the latest recovery of 208 kg of the drug from west Delhi.

According to the police sources, the UK national, Savinder Singh, came to India last moth to supervise the transportation and delivery of the 208-kg consignment suspected to have been brought from South American countries.

The sources said Singh spent around 25 days in three separate locations in Delhi before fleeing to the United Kingdom soon after the arrest of the first four members of the syndicate.

These arrests were effected on October 2.

"As of now, we have issued LOCs against half-a-dozen people, some of them foreign nationals. One of them is the person who kept 208 kg of cocaine hidden in west Delhi's Ramesh Nagar and fled to the UK," a police officer, who is privy to the investigations, said.

The officer said a dozen people suspected to be involved in the syndicate are on the radar of the Delhi police.

Earlier, police had issued an LOC against the syndicate's kingpin, Virender Basoya alias Veeru, who is believed to be staying in Dubai. -- PTI

17:10 AAP extends support to NC in J-K

Aam Admi Party on Friday said that it will extend support to Jammu and Kashmir National Conference after the NC-Congress alliance emerges victorious in the recently concluded assembly election in the Union Territory.

The formal letter of support has been submitted to the Lt Governor by the party.

Jammu and Kashmir has one MLA from AAP.

Party candidate Mehraj Malik has won the Doda assembly constituency by 4538 votes against BJP's Gajay Singh Rana.

In Jammu and Kashmir National Conference-Congress alliance secured an absolute majority in the Union Territory by winning 49 seats, with the former taking 42 and the latter 6 seats.

On Thursday, the JKNC unanimously elected Omar Abdullah as the leader of its Legislative Party.

Speaking about his election, Omar Abdullah, vice president of JKNC, said,

"There was a meeting of the National Conference's Legislative Party, and the Legislative Party decided on its leader. I am deeply grateful to the National Conference legislators for reposing faith in me, trusting me, and giving me the chance to go to Raj Bhavan and stake a claim to form the government." -- ANI

A 16-year-old Dalit girl who was allegedly raped by a man in Pratapgarh has died during treatment at a hospital, the police said on Friday.

Additional superintendent of police (West) Sanjay Rai said the teenager was held hostage and raped on Sunday last week.

"The accused tied her hands and mouth and left her in a millet field in a seriously injured state. She was admitted to the SRN Hospital in Prayagraj where she was undergoing treatment and passed away last evening," Rai said.

On the complaint of the victim's mother, the police had registered a case against accused Anil Gupta under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the SC-ST Prevention of Atrocities Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, he said.

The 22-year-old accused was arrested on Monday after a gunfight with the police, they said.

Murder charges have also been added to the case, they said. -- PTI

16:33 Cocaine worth Rs 3.3 crore seized in Delhi

The Delhi Police on Friday claimed to have busted a syndicate with the arrest of three men, including two foreign nationals, and the seizure of cocaine worth Rs 3.3 crore from their possession.

Police have seized 563 grams of cocaine from the possession of the two arrested Nigerian nationals, officials said.

The two Nigerian nationals, along with a taxi driver, were arrested on September 27.

"Acting on a tip-off, Nigerian national Joshua Amarachukwa (30) was apprehended. His driver or associate, identified as Vinit (24), was also apprehended," a senior police officer said.

According to police, cocaine weighing 257 grams was seized from Amarachukwa's possession.

During interrogation, Amarachukwa disclosed that another Nigerian national, Mike, had supplied the drug to him and that he used to sell cocaine in Delhi-NCR.

Police said Vinit accompanied Amarachukwa during every deal and assisted him by providing transport facility in his taxi.

"On the instance of Joshua, another accused, Kone N Golo Seydou alias Mike (27), was apprehended from Sohna in Haryana and cocaine weighing 306 grams was seized from his possession," the officer said, adding that further investigation is underway.

Police said the seized cocaine is worth Rs 3.3 crore in the international market. -- PTI

The Janata Dal-United on Friday rebuffed Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav's statement calling for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's exit from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.

Yadav, a former Uttar Pradesh CM, has accused the ruling BJP government of preventing him from paying tributes to Jayaprakash Narayan on his birth anniversary and urged Kumar, who had cut his political teeth under the legendary socialist leader, to snap ties with the saffron party.

In a strongly worded statement, JD-U national spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said, "It is a bizarre remark from Akhilesh Yadav who does politics in the name of JP (Jayaprakash Narayan), but never cares for the principles of the late leader who fought against dynasty rule all his life".

Notably, Yadav had alleged that he was virtually placed under "house arrest" in Lucknow by the Yogi Adityanath government which wanted to "prevent" him from visiting an international convention centre named after JP, where he had famously reached a year ago by leaping over closed gates.

The JD-U spokesperson said that the Samajwadi Party was "in the clutches of one family" and hence Yadav "must not have the temerity to invoke the legacy of JP".

Prasad also slammed Congress leader Pawan Khera for endorsing Yadav's statement and pointed out "it is the Congress which had caused untold miseries to JP and his followers".

The JD-U leader, whose party's support is vital for the BJP's continuance in power at the Centre, after loss of the majority in Lok Sabha, also asserted, "Our alliance is unbreakableand we are firmly together". -- PTI

Around 150 militants are waiting at launchpads across the Line of Control (LoC) to infiltrate into the Kashmir valley as winter approaches, but security forces would foil any such bid, a senior BSF officer said on Friday.

"Attempts of infiltration continue to take place. Based on the intelligence inputs we receive from various agencies, we coordinate with the army to establish a domination plan along the border.

"We also keep in mind the number of terrorists at the launching pads, which helps us shape our strategy and domination plan to ensure we foil any plans," BSF Inspector General (Kashmir Frontier) Ashok Yadav told reporters in Srinagar.

He said the security forces would ensure any infiltration attempt is thwarted.

Asked how many militants were waiting at terror launchpads now, he said, "The number of terrorists at the launching pads usually varies between 130 and 150, at times it may be slightly higher."

On the challenges after conducting peaceful assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Yadav said the security forces coordinated closely with the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the administration to ensure fair and peaceful polls.

"There were numerous threat inputs, but with our well-coordinated domination plan, we prevented any attack, and the elections were successful.

"Now, with winter approaching, preparations are in place. Before winter sets in, terrorists often attempt infiltration, and we are dominating the area accordingly," he said, adding there are inputs about possible infiltration attempts along the LoC.

Asked about the volatile West Asia situation having any impact in the Valley, the IG BSF said while the security forces do not have specific inputs on militants trying to take advantage of the crises "we keep these international developments in our analysis and factor them into our operational plans".

On a question about narcoterrorism, Yadav said narcotics comes in from across the LoC and is a good source for terror financing.

"There are some villages along the LoC, some vulnerable patches like Tangdhar and Keran sectors, but we have deployed mobile bunkers and women troopers as well because there were inputs that they might use some women as couriers, to stop the inflow of narcotics. There has a been huge impact and we have been successful in bringing it down to a large extent," he added. -- PTI

Two Agniveers were killed when a shell from an Indian field gun exploded during firing practice at the Artillery Centre in Maharashtra's Nashik district, police said on Friday.

The incident occurred at the Artillery Centre in the Nashik Road area on Thursday afternoon, an official said.

Agniveers Gohil Vishwaraj Singh (20) and Saifat Shit (21) were killed in the blast, he said.

A team of Agniveers was firing an Indian field gun when one of the shells exploded. The duo sustained injuries and were taken to MH Hospital, Deolali, where they were pronounced dead, the official said.

Based on a complaint by Havildar Ajit Kumar, a case of accidental death has been registered with the Deolali Camp police, and further investigations are on, he said. -- PTI

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Friday urged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to withdraw his party's support to the National Democratic Alliance, saying the BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh has stopped 'Samajwadis' from paying tributes to socialist ideologue Jayaprakash Narain.

Kumar owes his political emergence to JP's movement, the former chief minister noted.

The Samajwadi Party chief also said that bamboo barricades would not have been able to stop 'Samajwadis' from visiting the Jay Prakash Narain International Centre (JPNIC) if it was not a festival day.

Yadav had reached the JPNIC on Thursday night and lambasted the Yogi Adityanath government for barring its main gate behind tin sheets apparently to prevent entry.

"The people of BJP are destructive. Give them anything good and they will destroy it. They stopped us Samajwadi people in the past also. This is the ninth day of Navratri, it is a festive day. What kind of 'adharm' they are doing on a day of festival," he said.

He wondered what kind of conspiracy was this that the BJP is celebrating the festival (ninth day of Navratri) but not allowing others to do so.

"Had it not been a day of festival these wooden structures (barricades) would not have been able to stop the Samajwadis," Yadav said.

He further noted that there are lot of "socialist people" who are part of the government and involved in running the system.

"The chief Minister of Bihar (Nitish Kumar) also keeps talking about Jayaprakash Narayan ji from time to time, in fact he has emerged (as a politician) from JP's movement itself. This is a chance that he has got to withdraw support from a government which is stopping Samajwadis from remembering Jayaprakash on his anniversary," Yadav said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday left for home after wrapping up his "productive" two-day visit to the Laos where he attended the ASEAN-India and East Asia summits.

Modi arrived in Laos on Thursday and is visiting Lao PDR at the invitation of Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone.

"Strengthening India's Act East Policy, deepening ASEAN-India engagement and India's Indo-Pacific Vision, and enhancing age-old ties with Lao PDR. PM @narendramodi concludes his successful visit to Lao PDR," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Modi attended the 21st India-ASEAN Summit and said that India-ASEAN friendship was very important at a time when parts of the world were facing conflicts and tensions.

He announced a 10-point plan to strengthen India-ASEAN comprehensive partnership and asserted that ties with the regional grouping were critical to guiding Asia's future.

Addressing the 21st India-ASEAN Summit here, Modi noted that India-ASEAN trade had doubled to over USD 130 billion in the past decade and announced a review of the trade-in goods agreement to harness the greater economic potential of the partnership.

Modi also met counterparts from Japan, and New Zealand and discussed cooperation in different areas.

Modi also interacted with Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, President of the European Council Charles Michel, President Bongbong Marcos of the Philippines and Executive chairman of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab.

On Thursday, Modi also witnessed the performance of the Laotian adaptation of the Ramayan which reflects the shared heritage and age-old civilisation connection between India and Laos.

He witnessed an episode of Lao Ramayan called Phalak Phalam or Phra Lak Phra Ram performed by the prestigious Royal Theatre of Luang Prabang.

According to phralakphralam.com, the Lao Ramayan differs from the original Indian version. It had reached Laos late, around the 16th century, brought by Buddhist missions.

On Friday, he addressed the 19th East Asia Summit. Prime Minister Modi called for the restoration of peace and stability in Eurasia and West Asia, noting that conflicts in different parts of the world are having the most negative impact on the countries of the Global South.

On the sidelines of the summit, he also interacted with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

14:49 A-bomb survivors group bags Nobel Peace Prize

The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Nihon Hidankyo, a Japanese organization of atomic bomb survivors, on Friday for its activism against nuclear weapons, reports Associated Press.

Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, said the award was given as the "taboo surrounding the use of nuclear weapons' was being challenged, the news agency reported.

14:15 Apartments Here Will Cost Rs 100 Crore!!!

Sunainaa Chadha/Business Standard

DLF, the countrys biggest realty firm in terms of market capitalisation, is set to launch the most expensive project in Indias real estate history -- DLF The Dahlias, right across the road from the existing Camellias, on Golf Course Road in Gurugram.

The Dahlias will include 400 residences, with a starting price of Rs 80,000 per square feet. The average ticket size of an apartment expected to be around Rs 100 crore, according to real estate consulting firm PropEquity.

With sales value of Rs 34,000 crore, this is 2.5 times the value of Camellias, said PropEquity. The existing Camellias, home to top Delhi National Capital Region-based CEOs and high net worth individuals, was launched at Rs 22,500 per square foot (price for super area) a decade ago and is currently among one of the most expensive condominiums in the country.

The Camellias has consistently recorded some of the highest transaction prices in the NCR, with recent sales averaging between Rs 65,000 to Rs 85,000 per square foot.

Unfurnished apartments are renting for a minimum of Rs 10.5 lakh per month, with furnished options commanding up to Rs 14 lakh.

In February 2024, a 10,000 sq ft apartment at The Camellias was bought for Rs 95 crore by Smiti Agarwal, the wife of Hemant Agarwal, CMD of retail giant V-Bazaar.

Historically, only one of the most posh areas of Mumbai and Delhi have seen the highest real estate prices, exceeding Rs 100,000 per square foot.

Till date, the most expensive real estate project in India in terms of sales value has been the 360 West luxury real estate development in Mumbais Worli, developed by Oberoi Realty, said PropEquity.

The sales value of DLF The Dahlias is equivalent to the total sales value of Three Sixty West by Oberoi Realty in Mumbai, DLF Camellias in Gurugram and Naman Xana in Mumbai. The starting size of the apartment is 9,500 sq ft.

Noted shehnai player from Himachal Pradesh Surajmani passed away at the AIIMS-Bilaspur, officials said on Friday. He was 63.

Suffering from chronic pancreatitis, Surajmani breathed his last on Thursday. He is survived by wife and two sons.

Hailing from Chachiot village in the Nachan area of Mandi district, Surajmani was often referred to as the "Bismillah Khan of Himachal" after the late shehnai maestro and was known for his contributions in preserving the folk-music traditions of the hill state.

Sources said Surajmani suffered a pancreatic attack soon after returning home from Chandigarh, where he had gone for a recording.

He was first admitted to a hospital in Mandi from where he was referred to the AIIMS, Bilaspur.

The auspicious sound of Surajmani's shehnai became a trademark of any district or state-level function in Himachal Pradesh. He also performed in the US.

A large number of artistes, musicians and fans from across the state have mourned Surajmani's death.

Leader of Opposition in the state assembly Jairam Thakur and Nachan MLA Vinod Kumar were among the politicians and administrative officials who expressed their grief over Surajmani's passing away. -- PTI

Pic: ANI Photo

13:51 Noel Tata appointed Tata Trusts chairman

Noel Tata, 67, the half brother of Ratan N Tata, on Friday was appointed chairman of Tata Trusts.

Noel is Ratan Tata's half-brother and Naval and Simone Tata's son. He is married to Aloo Mistry, the late Pallonji Mistry's daughter and the late Cyrus Mistry's sister, reports Business Standard.

'Noel also has two daughters, Maya and Leah. He entered the Tata Group in 1999, taking over the retail arm, Trent, and was later elevated to chairman in 2014,' the newspaper said.

In 2010, Noel joined Tata International, an exporter of leather goods, minerals, and metals, where he served until 2021, reports Sharleen D'Souza in Business Standard.

'Today, he is chairman of two other Tata Group companies: The consumer durables company Voltas and Tata Investment Corporation. In 2019, Noel became a trustee of the Sir Ratan Tata Trust and joined the board of the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust in 2022. In May, his three children were appointed to the boards of five philanthropic organisations under Tata Trusts, which oversees the $150 billion Tata Group,' D'Souza reports, here.

The Navi Mumbai International Airport successfully conducted the trial landing of an aircraft with the touchdown of an Airbus C295 plane on Friday.

The Indian Air Force transport carrier C295 landed at the Southern runway 26 of the airport at 12.14 pm, according to the airport operator.

Water canon salute was accorded to the aircraft.

The airport, being developed by the Adani Group, is expected to start commercial operations early next year. -- PTI

Music composer A R Rahman will be performing at a live music concert to celebrate Kamala Harris' historic candidacy for United States President, an Indian-American fundraiser has announced.

The Asian American Pacific Islanders (AAPI) Victory Fund, which has endorsed the US Vice President for the upcoming election next month, shared the news in a post on Thursday evening.

"A very special evening with A R Rahman. Join A R Rahman to celebrate the historic candidacy of Kamala Harris for President with a world-class live music concert streamed straight to your home," the AAPI Victory Fund announced.

No date has been set for the event and Rahman has not yet posted about it on his social media handles.

The post on X includes a sign-up sheet for people to receive the link for the live streaming of the legendary Indian composer's performance.

The AAPI Victory Fund has endorsed Vice President Harris in this election cycle and is also supporting AAPI candidates running for Congress and statewide offices across the country. -- PTI

A business development professional who threatened a man that he would throw acid on his wife's face over her choice of clothes has been sacked from the company, sources said on Friday.

The police, too, have launched an investigation against Nikith Shetty.

"..., kindly tell your wife to follow a good dress, especially in Karnataka or else I may splash acid on her face," Shetty allegedly said in a personal message on October 9 to Ansar, who immediately alerted the police and shared its screenshot.

"This is serious. @DgpKarnataka @CMofKarnataka @DKShivakumar. This person is threatening to throw acid on my wife's face for her choice of clothes. Please take immediate action against this person to prevent any incident from happening," Ansar said in an online post.

"I don't think women are safe in this organisation (the private firm where Shetty worked)," he said.

Shetty's company sacked him after a netizen brought the matter to its notice.

"The man who threatened my wife @KhyatiShree_ with acid attack lost his job. The company acted promptly and fired him. Thanks to everyone who made this happen," Ansar wrote. -- PTI

Pic: Shabana Azmi/Instagram

12:16 Shabana Azmi to receive excellence award at MAMI

Veteran actor Shabana Azmi will be honoured with the Excellence in Cinema Award at the 2024 MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, recognising her exceptional career spanning 50 years, the organisers announced on Friday.

The Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI), which organises the film gala every year, will present the award to Azmi on October 18, a press release said.

It will be followed by a masterclass on October 19 with National Award-winning actor Vidya Balan, offering insight into Azmi's journey and experiences over five decades in the industry, a press release said.

Known for her remarkable contributions to both parallel and mainstream cinema, Azmi started her career with Shyam Benegal's 1974 film Ankur, followed by critically-acclaimed movies such as Arth, Swami, Sparsh, Mandi, Masoom, Ek Din Achanak, Godmother, Earth and Fire.

Festival Director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur said it is a privilege to honour an iconic actor like Azmi.

"MAMI had the distinct pleasure of honouring her in 1999 for her remarkable contributions over 25 years, and we are fortunate to continue witnessing her work and celebrate her golden jubilee," Dungarpur said.

The 2024 edition of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival is set to take place between October 19 and October 24. The six-day gala, billed as a celebration of world cinema, community, creativity, and culture, will host a line-up of over 110 films in more than 50 languages, including features and non-features in all genres, from across the world to Mumbai.

A Goddess Kali crown gifted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a famous temple in Bangladesh in 2021, has been stolen.

The silver, gold-plated crown was stolen from the Jeshoreshwari temple in Satkhira's Shyamnagar on Thursday afternoon, shortly after the temple priest had left following the day's worship. The cleaning staff later discovered that the crown was missing from the deity's head, according to Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star.

Prime Minister Modi presented the crown to the Jeshoreshwari Temple in March 2021, during his visit to Bangladesh.

India expressed its concern over the theft and urged Bangladesh to investigate the matter and recover the stolen crown.

"We express concern on the incident and urge the Government of Bangladesh to investigate the theft, recover the crown and take action against the perpetrators," the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said in a statement.

11:57 Solutions can't come from...: Modi at ASEAN

Noting that conflicts in different parts of the world are having the most negative impact on the countries of the Global South, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called for the restoration of peace and stability in Eurasia and West Asia.

Addressing the 19th East Asia Summit, Modi also asserted that solutions to problems cannot come from the battlefield.

He also said a free, open, inclusive, prosperous and rule-based Indo-Pacific is important for the peace and progress of the entire region.

Peace, security and stability of the South China Sea is in the interest of the entire Indo-Pacific region, he said.

"We believe that maritime activities should be conducted under the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS). It is necessary to ensure freedom of navigation and air space. A strong and effective Code of Conduct should be created. And it should not curb the foreign policy of regional countries," Modi said.

"Our approach should be one of developmentalism and not expansionism," he said.

Noting that the conflicts going on in different parts of the world are having the most negative impact on the countries of the Global South, Modi said everyone wants whether it is Eurasia or West Asia, peace and stability should be restored as soon as possible.

"I come from the land of Buddha, and I have repeatedly said that this is not the era of war. Solutions to problems cannot come from the battlefield," he said.

"It is necessary to respect sovereignty, territorial integrity and international laws. Keeping a humanitarian approach, dialogue and diplomacy will have to be given priority," the prime minister asserted.

Fulfilling the responsibility of Vishwabandhu', India will continue to contribute in every possible way in this direction, he added.

His remarks came amidst conflicts between Ukraine and Russia in Eurasia and the Israel-Hamas war in West Asia.

"Terrorism is also a serious challenge to global peace and security. To face it, forces believing in humanity will have to work together," Modi said. -- PTI

The Lucknow Development Authority has informed Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav that his planned visit to the JP Narayan International Centre in Lucknow on Friday is "not advisable" as it cited security concerns due to the ongoing construction work at the site.

After a high-voltage drama outside the JPNIC late Thursday, Yadav on Friday morning slammed the BJP government in the state for putting up barricades near his house on Vikramaditya Marg to prevent 'Samajwadis' from visiting the site and garlanding Jayaprakash Narayan's statue.

October 11 is the birth anniversary of socialist stalwart and anti-Emergency movement icon Narayan, fondly called JP.

In a letter referencing their correspondence dated October 8, the LDA noted that Yadav, a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh who is accorded Z-plus security, intended to pay homage to the statue located at the convention centre.

"It is to be informed that the Engineering Department, Lucknow Development Authority has provided a report regarding the updated status of the work site, in which the JP Narayan Convention Centre project is still under construction.

"The construction material is kept in an unplanned manner and due to the rainy season there is a possibility of the presence of unwanted living creatures. The site has not been found suitable for garlanding/visiting from the security point of view of Akhilesh Yadav, former chief minister, who has Z-Plus security," the LDA said in its letter dated October 10.

Yadav took to social media and shared video clips and pictures of the deployment of security personnel, including police and rapid action force, with barricades near his house here, a stone's throw away from the Samajwadi Party headquarters.

"Whether it is the BJP people or their government, their every action is a symbol of negativity. To prevent the Samajwadi people from garlanding the statue of JP Narayan Ji on his birth anniversary like last time, barricades have been put up around our private residence to stop them," he posted on X in Hindi.

The SP chief accused the BJP of creating hurdles in the path of harmony, peace, reservation, farmers' welfare, women's safety, youth development, employment generation, and development of PDAs (pichhde, Dalit, alpsankhyak).

"The BJP has always been against freedom fighters and the freedom movement. They have learnt from the colonial powers and supported them secretly. Everyone is saying today that they don't want the BJP," Yadav said.

Senior Samajwadi Party leader Shivpal Singh Yadav also hit out at the state government over the issue. -- PTI

Pic: narendramodi/X

10:52 Modi meets Japan's new PM Shigeru Ishiba in Laos

Among the world dignitaries that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is in the Laotian capital Vientiane on a two-day visit, met on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN-India Summit was Japan's new prime minister Shigeru Ishiba.

This was the first meeting between the two leaders. Ishiba was appointed Japan's prime minister just last week. He replaced Fumio Kishida, who stepped down to pave the way for a fresh leader.

"Had a very productive meeting with PM Ishiba. I'm happy to have met him just a few days after he became Japan's PM. Our talks included ways to enhance cooperation in infrastructure, connectivity, defence and more. Boosting cultural linkages was also discussed," Modi said in a post on X.

"PM @narendramodi and PM @shigeruishiba of Japan held excellent talks on the sidelines of the India-ASEAN Summit in Lao PDR. They deliberated on ways to strengthen the ties in a host of sectors, including technology, trade, defence and people-to-people linkages," the Indian prime minister's office said in a post on X.

The prime minister underscored that India will continue to accord the highest priority to its ties with Japan, a trusted friend and strategic partner, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said in a statement.

"Boosting Japan-India ties, Strengthening Act East policy. PM @narendramodi and PM @shigeruishiba of Japan held fruitful talks today, on the sidelines of the 21st ASEAN-India Summit. Discussions focused on deepening partnership in technology, trade, defence and security, cultural and P2P exchanges," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.

"The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening India-Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership through enhanced cooperation in a wide range of areas including trade and investment, infrastructure development, defence and security, semiconductors, skilling, culture and people-to-people exchanges," the MEA said.

Both leaders emphasised that India and Japan are indispensable partners for a peaceful, safe, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region and renewed their commitment to working together to achieve this goal, the statement said.

"The two leaders looked forward to the next India-Japan annual summit," it added.

While on the subject, do read Dr Rajaram Panda's article on Rediff, Why India will like Shigeru Ishiba, here.

To pay a tribute to Ratan Tata, their departed chairman, workers at the Tata Motors plant in Pimpri Chinchwad on Thursday continued operations on the shop floor despite being in mourning.

Tata, 86, died at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday night.

"When JRD Tata died, (Ratan) Tata sir was of the opinion that the work at the plant should not stop and thereby cause loss to the country. As a tribute to him, today the production at the plant continued at full capacity, despite each and every employee mourning the demise of the legendary Tata sir," said Ajit Paigude, general secretary of the Tata Motors Employees Union.

The workers grieved, yet discharged their duties, he added.

"Tomorrow, we have organised a condolence meet on campus as a lot of employees were in Mumbai to attend the last rites," Paigude said.

Whenever Tata visited the plant, he made sure that he met union members as he respected the union, Paigude added.

The Pimpri Chinchwad plant employs around 5,500 workers.

Tata Motors has contributed immensely to the growth of Pimpri Chinchwad as an industrial hub, the union leader noted. -- PTI

A food delivery man was killed after a high-end car driven by a senior executive of a private firm hit the two-wheeler he was riding in Pune in the early hours of Friday, police said.

Ayush Tayal (34), who was driving the car, fled from the spot after the accident near Tadigutta in the city's Mundhwa area. Later, he was detained after police tracked him down with the help of CCTV footage, he said.

The food delivery person has been identified as Rauf Akbar Shaikh.

"The car driven by Tayal crashed into Shaikh's bike. The accused fled the scene but was later detained after police used footage of CCTV cameras to identify the car and then track him down with its details," said Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Pail.

Tayal is a senior executive at a firm in Ranjangaon MIDC and he has been sent for a medical examination to ascertain if he was intoxicated at the time of the accident, the official said.

A case has been registered against Tayal under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Motor Vehicles Act, he added. -- PTI

Khushboo Tiwari/Business Standard

Sebi on Thursday extended the deadline to implement direct payout of securities to demat account from October 14 to November 11 to ensure a hassle free implementation.

The market regulator took this decision after getting representation from key institutions like clearing corporations, exchanges and stock brokers.

'Based on the review meeting held by Sebi with MIIs (market infrastructure institutions) and based on representation received from Brokers' ISF (industry standards forum), it has been decided that the circular shall come into effect from November 11, 2024, in order to ensure smooth implementation of pay-out of securities directly to the clients demat account, without any disruption to the markets players and investors,' Sebi said in a release.

At present, the securities are credited to the broker and then transferred to the demat account of the investor by the broker.

With the changes, the securities will be directly credited to the investors demat account, reducing the role of the broker who till now held the shares till the time of transfer.

Further, the brokers will not be able to directly handle pledges for unpaid or margin-funded securities.

If the security is not paid in full, the clearing corporation will mark the pledge directly in the clients demat account until fully paid.

The extension was provided as the operational guidelines by clearing corporations were issued at the end of August instead of the earlier timeline of August 5.

The market regulator has also revised the timing of the payout from 1.30 pm to 3.30 pm under the phase-1 of the implementation.

09:45 Maha govt raises salaries of madrasa teachers

To woo the Muslim minority ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, the Eknath Shinde-led Mahayuti government on Thursday increased the grants for the Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Corporation (MAMFC) by Rs 300 crore.

In a cabinet meeting chaired by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the government decided to increase the salary of madrasa teachers and also the working capital of the Maulana Azad Financial Corporation.

"The state cabinet has decided to increase the capital of the Maulana Azad Minorities Financial Corporation to Rs 1,000 crore," according to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).

Currently, the MAMFC's corpus is Rs 700 crore. "We welcome the decision. The sum will be used for uplifting the lives of minority students," said Mushtaq Antulay, chairman, MAMFC.

Under Zakir Hussain Madrasa modernization scheme, the state government asked madrasas to provide modern education along with the religious studies. Science, mathematics, sociology, English, Marathi, Hindi, and Urdu are proposed to be taught in madrasas.

The decision came ahead of the assembly elections which are expected to be held next month.

Vowing to introduce a reciprocal tax if elected to power, former United States president Donald Trump on Thursday alleged that India, among all major countries, imposes the highest tariffs on foreign products.

"Perhaps the most important element of my plan to make America extraordinarily wealthy again is reciprocity. It's a word that's very important in my plan because we generally don't charge tariffs. I started that process, it was so great, with the vans and the small trucks, etc. We really don't charge. China will charge us a 200 per cent tariff. Brazil is a big charger. The biggest charger of all is India," Trump said in a major economic policy speech in Detroit.

"India is a very big charger. We have a great relationship with India. I did. And especially the leader, Modi. He's a great leader. Great man. Really is a great man. He's brought it together. He's done a great job. But they probably charge as much," he said.

"I mean, I think they probably charge more than, in many ways, China. But they do it with a smile. They do it... Sort of a nicer charge. They said, thank you so much for purchasing from India. Harley Davidson came to the White House a long time ago during my third year or second year. I met with them. They were based in Wisconsin. I said, how's business? Good, good. What are the bad countries? Well, India is very tough. And they gave me some others. Why? Tariffs. I said, what are they? And they said like 150 per cent, some massive amount," Trump told the members of the Detroit Economic Club.

"I said so do you sell many motorcycles because you think people want to buy a Harley. No, we sell very few in India, but they want us to go there. They said, if you go there and build your plant there, we're not going to charge you anything. I mean, you can do whatever you want. I said I don't like that. And I see they went, they built the plant, and now they do their business with India. They probably do it outside of India too. They built a very big plant in many countries, they do that. Then all of a sudden, you hear that they're leaving Milwaukee or they're leaving wherever they may be located," he said.

Thursday's remarks by Trump come following his praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier this week.

Trump described Modi as the nicest human being, saying the Indian leader is a friend of mine.

"Modi, India. He's a friend of mine. He's great. Before him, they were replacing them every year. It's very unstable. He came over. He's a friend of mine. But on the outside, he looks like he's your father. He's the nicest, but he's a total killer," he said. -- PTI

The ongoing Navratri festivities were affected after heavy rains with thunderstorms and lightning lashed several parts of Mumbai on Thursday night.

In its forecast for Friday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a partly cloudy sky with the possibility of moderate rain or thunderstorms in the city.

The sudden downpour on Thursday night surprised many as IMD had only issued a 'yellow' alert for light to moderate rainfall in the financial capital.

The showers also spoiled garba (a ritualistic and devotional dance associated with the nine-day festival) plans of several revellers.

Vice President Kamala Harris is a captive of her Democratic party and its unpopular policies, the editorial board of a top American financial daily said on Thursday, warning the ruling party that her Republican rival Donald Trump can win anyway if the undecided voters conclude that she is merely a political cipher.

"Harris and Democrats are betting that a majority of voters will never vote for Trump again, and they may be right. But he could win anyway if the remaining undecided voters conclude that Ms. Harris is merely a political cipher whose agenda is whatever Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Elizabeth Warren command," said the editorial board of The Wall Street Journal.

In a damaging editorial, the daily said Harris's recent interviews showed that her campaign of "vibes" and safe appearances suggested she would be, like President Joe Biden, a captive of her party and its unpopular policies.

"Even if they disagree with him, voters can't say Donald Trump hasn't put his stamp on his party and the issues. That isn't true of Mr. Biden, who has always followed the rest of his party. Thus as President, he veered left, bowing to progressives on everything from immigration to spending to cultural coercion. He's ending his term with a 41 per cent approval rating," the daily wrote.

"Without having to compete in a presidential primary, Harris had a chance to set her campaign path. Instead, she has hugged closely to both the Biden record and her party's progressive agenda," it said.

Observing that of late Harris has begun to suggest she is a moderate by using words like "consensus" and "compromise", The Wall Street Journal said, but there's not a single issue on which she has stood up to the left of her party.

"Some Democrats have urged her to find such an issue and run on it. Perhaps endorse charter schools. Or say parents must approve gender transitioning surgery for minors. She won't do even that," it said.

The Financial Daily noted that her Vice President's political momentum seems to have stalled. "Mr. Trump hasn't risen much in the polls, but Ms. Harris seems to have plateaued. If you read the Democratic press, which means nearly all of the press, you'll notice a creeping concern this week that Mr. Trump is gaining in the polls in the battleground states," it said.

"Democrats are suddenly worried, and a few are starting to blame Harris for playing it safe with her version of Biden's 2020 basement campaign strategy. They want her to define herself better for swing voters," said the editorial. -- PTI

One of the medics on hunger strike was hospitalised on Thursday night after his health condition deteriorated, a senior doctor said. The medic was identified as Aniket Mahato, one of the seven on fast unto death since Saturday evening.

"Aniket Mahato's condition worsened and his parameters were not good. He was taken to RG Kar hospital and will be admitted to the intensive care unit," senior doctor Subarna Goswami told a news channel.

Mahato, along with a few others, has been at the forefront of the agitation seeking justice for the rape and murder victim of RG Kar for the last two months.

Another agitating doctor accompanying Mahato said, "His pulse rate was very low and his other health parameters were also not normal."

A team of four specialist doctors was sent by the state health department to the venue of the hunger strike by junior doctors in the Esplanade area to assess the health condition of the seven doctors who have been on hunger strike for the past five days. -- PTI

The Jammu and Kashmir Congress Legislature Party will meet Friday afternoon in Srinagar to choose its leader, a party spokesperson said.

Congress secured six seats, while its alliance partner, the National Conference, won 42 seats in the latest election in the state held after a gap of 10 years.

The BJP won 29, JKPDP three, and the People's Conference, CPI-M, and AAP each won one seat.

Seven seats were won by Independent candidates.

"The Congress MLAs will meet tomorrow afternoon in Srinagar under the chairmanship of J&K Pradesh Congress Committee chief Tariq Hameed Karra to elect the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party," the spokesperson said.

The chosen leader's name will be sent for final approval by the party high command, he said. -- PTI

To pay a tribute to Ratan Tata, their departed chairman, workers at the Tata Motors plant in Pimpri Chinchwad on Thursday continued operations on the shop floor despite being in mourning.

Tata, 86, died at a Mumbai hospital on Wednesday night.

The workers grieved, yet discharged their duties, he added.

"Tomorrow, we have organised a condolence meet on campus as a lot of employees were in Mumbai to attend the last rites," Paigude said.

Whenever Tata visited the plant, he made sure that he met union members as he respected the union, Paigude added. -- PTI

Smita Thackeray/ANI Photo

00:42 Smita Thackeray to head Maha film policy panel

The Maharashtra government on Thursday set up a 22-member committee headed by producer Smita Thackeray to frame the state's new film policy.

Culture minister Sudhir Mungantiwar made the announcement in Mumbai.

Smita Thackeray, notably, is the estranged sister-in-law of Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray.

Actor-filmmaker Pravin Tarde, who has directed and produced Dharmaveer, a biopic on late Sena leader Anand Dighe, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's political mentor, is among the committee members.

The other members include actor-producer Mangesh Desai, actor Digambar Naik, art director Nitesh Nandgaonkar, actors Prabhakar More, Savita Malpekar, Gargi Phule, Asawari Joshi, Priya Berde, Nishigandha Waad, Megha Dhade, producer Nitin Vaidya and writer-director Priya Krishnaswami.

Hindi filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj and Ramesh Taurani of Tips too are its members. -- PTI

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