Row after Assam Rifles stops Mizoram min convoy

Power and electricity minister F Rodingliana's convoy was allegedly stopped by Assam Rifles personnel during a routine check recently, sparking a row. 

Ministers, opposition MLAs, political parties and a student body accused the paramilitary force of not honouring the standard protocol and showing no respect to the elected public representative. 

The Assam Rifles denied the allegations, describing them as attempts to malign the image of the country's oldest paramilitary force. 

"Chief Minister Lalduhoma, who is now camping in Delhi, will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discuss the matter with them," the leader who is also a state minister said on condition of anonymity. 

Meanwhile, Mizoram home minister K Sapdanga issued a statement extending solidarity to minister F Rodingliana. 

The meeting of ministers at the state home minister's office on Monday termed the incident "unfortunate", the statement issued by Sapdanga said. -- PTI

Scholz visited India twice last year, for a bilateral State Visit in February 2023 and to attend the G20 Leaders' Summit in September 2023, the statement said. 

On October 25, Prime Minister Modi and Chancellor Scholz will co-chair the 7th Intergovernmental Consultations. Scholz will be accompanied by senior Ministers in his cabinet for the IGC consultations. 

The IGC is a whole-of-government framework under which Ministers from both sides hold discussions in their respective areas of responsibility and report on the outcome of their deliberations to the Prime Minister and Chancellor, the statement added. 

Both leaders will hold bilateral talks to discuss enhanced security and defence cooperation, greater opportunities for the mobility of talent, deeper economic cooperation, Green and Sustainable Development Partnership and collaboration in the area of emerging and strategic technologies. 

Discussions will also focus on important regional and global developments. -- ANI

The medics also called off their proposed strike across hospitals in the state on Tuesday. 

"In today's (Monday) meeting (with the CM), we did get the assurance of some directives, but the body language of the state government was not positive... The common people have wholeheartedly supported us. They, as well as the parents of our deceased sister (RG Kar hospital victim), have been requesting us to call off the hunger strike, keeping in mind our deteriorating health." 

"We are therefore withdrawing our 'fast-unto-death' and also Tuesday's total shutdown in the health sector," said Debashish Halder, one of the junior medics. 

The decision was taken following a general body meeting of the doctors. -- PTI

Murmu was scheduled to visit Bangriposi, Uparbeda, Rairangpur, Puri and Bhubaneswar during her stay. 

I am directed to convey that due to unavoidable circumstances the visit of the Hon'ble President from 23rd to 25th October, 2024 stands postponed, a communication from the President's secretariat to the Odisha chief secretary read. 

Sources said that her tour has been postponed in view of the impending cyclone that would hit Odisha coast by October 25. 

President Murmu was scheduled to land at Bangriposi Helipad in Mayurbhanj district on October 23 to lay the foundation of three new railway lines and three other developmental projects. 

Officials said that the President was scheduled to visit Puri the next day to have a darshan of Lord Jagannath and to attend the 75th-anniversary celebration of Gopabandhu Ayurveda Mahavidyalaya, one of the oldest Ayurvedic medical colleges in the country. 

She was also supposed to attend the 40th convocation of Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology.

The court's oral observation came while dealing with a petition by the 'Delhi Fireworks Shopkeepers Association', a group of traders with a "permanent" licence to possess and sell crackers. 

The petitioner's counsel said the grievance of the traders was with respect to the ban on the storage of firecrackers as it was allegedly resulting in harassment. 

During the hearing, the court said it would ask authorities to seal the traders' premises being used for storage of firecrackers to ensure that there is no pilferage. 

"The state must be involved in the sealing process so that there is no pilferage," said Justice Sanjeev Narula. 

"We are not going to allow you to sell. There is enough pollution in this city," added the judge orally. 

The petitioner's counsel said that even though no crackers were being sold by its members, soon after the ban order, the police started visiting the permanent licensees questioning why they were storing the firecrackers. -- PTI

The former MLA and NCP leader was shot at and grievously injured in Nirmal Nagar area in Bandra at around 9:30pm on October 12. 

He died some time later at nearby Lilavati hospital. Haryana resident Gurmail Baljit Singh (23), Uttar Pradesh native Dharmaraj Kashyap (21), Harish Kumar Nisad (26) and Pune-based Pravin Lonkar (30) were produced before additional chief metropolitan magistrate (Esplanade court) V R Patil on Monday at the end of their initial remand. 

The police sought further remand saying the accused were not cooperating with the investigation and were giving misleading information. 

As per the prosecution, Singh and Kashyap, as well as wanted accused Shivkumar Gautam, fired at Siddique (66), while Pravin Lonkar's brother Shubham is allegedly associated with jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. -- PTI

The FIR was registered at Highway police station on the complaint of Dr Lalit Varshney, who alleged that the accused thrashed hospital staff Pratap and Satyapal, when they were stopped from entering the ICU ward on Sunday, SHO Anand Kumar Shahi said. 

The police found the allegations prima facie true after going through CCTV footage and booked MLA Rajesh Chowdhury's brother Jitendra Singh, nephews Sanjay Chowdhury and Dev Chowdhury, and one Jaswant, the SHO said. 

Accused Jaswant later submitted an application to the police from the MLA's side requesting an FIR, claiming they were attacked by the hospital staff when they went to visit the MLA's mother who was admitted there. -- PTI

The two sides discussed various demands of the medics including the prevailing "threat culture' at state-run hospitals. 

The meeting, held on the 17th day of a fast unto death by a section of protesting doctors, was streamed Live for the first time from the state secretariat Nabanna. 

At the meeting, Banerjee repeatedly urged the junior doctors to end their fast, stating that most of their demands had been addressed, while rejecting the one for removing the state health secretary. 

"At RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, several junior doctors and medical students were suspended without following proper procedures and rules. How can these students or resident doctors be suspended just on the basis of complaints? Who gave the college authorities the right to take such a step without informing the state government? Is this not a threat culture?' the chief minister asked. -- PTI

Amid the intensifying conflict in the Middle East, an interest rate cut by the People's Bank of China aided the rally in the yellow metal as investors moved towards the safe haven assets, traders said. 

Extending its gains for the fourth straight day, silver price zoomed by Rs 5,000 to hit a fresh record high of Rs 99,500 per kg from the previous close of Rs 94,500 per kg on Friday. 

According to commodities market experts, the ongoing bullish sentiment in the silver market is primarily driven by industrial demand and gold's rally. 

Silver's upward momentum appears strong. Investors are likely to continue to view dips as buying opportunities, keeping the white metal well-supported in the coming sessions, they said. 

Additionally, gold of 99.5 per cent purity climbed Rs 750 to hit a record high of Rs 80,250 per 10 grams. 

The metal of 99.5 percent purity had ended at Rs 79,500 per 10 grams while gold of 99.9 percent purity had settled at Rs 79,900 per 10 grams on Friday. -- PTI

According to an official statement, the commission headed by retired retired high court judge BD Agarwal submitted the report that comprises 319 pages and "16 key recommendations". 

"During the course of the inquiry, the Commission received 55 memorandums and 44 witnesses were cross-examined," it said. 

Upon conclusion of the inquiry, Justice Agarwal has formally submitted the inquiry report to Sarma, it added. 

The statement, however, did not share the contents or the recommendations of the report. 

During the violent eviction drive at Dhalpur villages of Gorukhuti area in Sipajhar revenue circle in September 2021, two persons were killed and several people, including police personnel, were injured. 

According to sources, the report dealt with the Settlement Rules of the Assam Land and Revenue Regulation, 1886 at length and elaborately discussed the "deficiencies" in it. -- PTI

According to the CIAL authorities, a verbal bomb threat was received from a passenger bound for Mumbai during the secondary ladder point check of the Vistara flight in the afternoon. 

The passenger had made a casual comment, "I'm carrying a live bomb," said an official communication from the CIAL. 

The passenger, identified as Vijay Mandhayan, was to board the flight from Kochi, which was scheduled to depart at 3.50 pm. 

His baggage was checked, and nothing was found suspicious, according to officials. 

"Bomb Threat Assesment Committee was formed and declared as Non Specific.The flight departed at 4.19 pm," added the officials. -- PTI

Poonch National Conference MLA Ajaz Jan also confirmed it. 

Abdullah had won both the Budgam and Ganderbal seats in the recently held assembly polls. 

He won the Budgam seat by a margin of 18,485 votes against Peoples Democratic Party's Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi. 

While in Ganderbal, he defeated PDP's Bashir Ahmed Mir by 10,574 votes. 

Omar Abdullah was an MLA from Ganderbal from 2009 to 2014 during his first stint as chief minister. -- ANI

This is exactly what scammers tried to do by cloning telecom czar Sunil Bharti Mittal's voice to scam his executive in Dubai to transfer money. 

Fortunately, the executive was smart enough to realise Mittal won't ask for such a huge money transfer and the scam was stopped in its tracks. 

On Monday, speaking at the NDTV World Summit, Mittal cited the incident to caution people about the risks posed by misuse of emerging technologies like AI. 

Mittal recounted how the said executive stationed in Dubai received a fraudulent call that seemed to mimic his voice and tone and directed that a large fund transfer be done. 

The official who was vigilant and "sensible" immediately realised it was a scam, Mittal said admitting that when he heard the voice recording himself he was completely "stunned" as "it was perfectly articulated just as I would speak". 

"And anyone who would not have been vigilant may have done something about it," Mittal said and warned that in future misuse of technology would enable fraudsters to go a step ahead and misuse digital signatures, even replicate faces on zoom calls to perpetrate such acts. -- PTI

Sirathu circle officer Awadhesh Kumar Vishwakarma said Shailesh (32), a resident of Ismailpur village in the Kada Dham area, suddenly fell ill on Sunday night after having dinner prepared on the occasion of Karwa Chauth festival. 

He was admitted to the local community health centre where he died during treatment, the officer said. 

Shailesh's family filed a complaint accusing his wife Savita (30) of poisoning his food, Vishwakarma said. Based on the complaint, a case was registered against Savita under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and 123 (poisoning) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the CO said. -- PTI

Joint secretary, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, Prashant Lokhande met the activists, who have been sitting on an indefinite fast at Delhi's Ladakh Bhawan since October 6, and handed them a letter from the home ministry.

The letter said the high-powered committee of the ministry, which was holding talks with representatives from Ladakh, will hold the next meeting on December 3.

Following this, Wangchuk and his supporters decided to break their fast. -- PTI

The aim is to ensure the defeat of forces looting Maharashtra, he said in a swipe at the ruling alliance comprising Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, the BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. 

"We have arrived at a consensus on 210 seats. It is a significant achievement. We aim to contest polls as a joint force and we will defeat the forces looting Maharashtra," Raut, a Rajya Sabha MP and key strategist for the Shiv Sena-UBT, told reporters. 

The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena-UBT, the Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP-SP. Raut's comments came amid a flurry of news channel reports that the Uddhav Thackeray-led party may break away from the MVA and contest all 288 seats on its own. 

The past few days have seen hectic parleys among the three main opposition parties to finalise a seat-sharing deal, with speculation doing the rounds of the Congress and Shiv Sena-UBT not being on the same page. 

The statement from Raut also comes amid speculation of Union Home Minister Amit Shah having a phone conservation with him, hinting at the Shiv Sena-UBT and BJP, which were allies for decades before going their separate ways in 2019, getting back together. -- PTI

On Monday, cries of anger and anguish rang through Dr Shahnawaz's Budgam residence and the streets around it, the celebration so quickly giving way to mourning. 

Slogans of 'Naara-e-Takbeer, Allahu Akbar' (Allah is the greatest) were heard as many thousands paid their last respects to the 52-year-old killed in a terror attack on Sunday in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The doctor and six labourers were gunned down by terrorists at a tunnel-construction site on the Srinagar-Leh national highway. 

People arrived from Nayidgam in Soibugh area of Budgam and adjoining areas for the Shahnawaz's last rites. 

"This has come like a bolt of lightning from the sky. The family was still celebrating the wedding and now this news," said Ali Mohammad, a neighbour of the doctor. 

Shahnawaz raised his siblings after the early death of their parents, his sister said. 

"He was both our father and mother... Today, we have really been orphaned," she said. 

By the time the ambulance carrying the mortal remains of the doctor reached his native village, the mourners' numbers had swelled and they hailed him as a martyr. -- PTI

 Bajaj Finserv, IndusInd Bank, Adani Ports, UltraTech Cement, Bajaj Finance, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys, Bharti Airtel, Hindustan Unilever and JSW Steel were the other big laggards. HDFC Bank climbed nearly 3 per cent after the firm on Saturday reported a 6 per cent increase in September quarter net profit to Rs 17,825.91 crore on a consolidated basis.

At least 17 junior doctors left for Nabanna to meet Mamata Banerjee over their various demands as their hunger strike continues.

Dr Aqeeb Ashraf, a junior doctor says, "We are going there with our demands and hope that our demands are agreed to so that it leads to the beginning of reforms in the health system."

Junior doctors in Kolkata are on a fast unto death for justice in the incident of the rape and murder of a woman doctor at RG Kar hospital.

 "We will keep you posted if anything comes up," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said while replying to a question at a media briefing in Beijing. Both Modi and Xi are attending the BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia, which begins Tuesday.

 Ahead of Prime Minister Modi's visit to Kazan, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said in New Delhi on Monday that Indian and Chinese negotiators have reached an agreement on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. There was no reaction in Beijing to the agreement announced by Misri. The ties between India and China nosedived following the fierce clash in the Galwan Valley in June 2020 that marked the most serious military conflict between the two sides in decades. 

 China last Friday announced that Xi will attend the BRICS Summit in Russia, where he will work with other parties to open a new era for the Global South to seek strength through solidarity. BRICS originally consisted of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates have been admitted as new members. 

 The theme of this year's Summit is Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security. -- PTI

 The 54-year-old Leader of the House was the first MLA to be administered the oath. Omar Abdullah, son of Farooq Abdullah and his British wife Mollie Abdullah, had often faced criticism for not being able to speak his native language. While the third generation politician from the Abdullah family is fluent in English , his fluency in vernaculars like Hindi, Urdu and Kashmiri was poor at the start of his political career in the late 1990s.

 However, during his first tenure as chief minister from 2009 to 2014, Omar Abdullah took lessons to improve his speaking skills in these three languages. And on Monday, he took the oath as MLA in Kashmiri. 

 Ahead of her nomination filing, Priyanka Gandhi met party chief Kharge here on Monday and took his blessings. On Wednesady, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will also lead a roadshow from Kalpetta New Bus Stand at 11 AM. The nomination will be filed before the district collector at 12 noon on October 23, they said.

 Priyanka Gandhi is the UDF candidate for the Wayanad parliamentary byeelection. "The Congress general secretary will officially file her nomination on Wednesday before the Returning Officer in Kalpetta," a source said.

 Congress Chief Ministers, along with prominent national and state leaders, are also likely to be present to show their support, the sources said. With the Election Commission (EC) announcing the bypoll to the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat last week, the stage was set for Priyanka Gandhi's electoral debut from the Kerala constituency that could see her enter Parliament five years after joining active politics. Soon after the EC announced the Wayanad bypoll, the Congress declared that Priyanka Gandhi (52) would be its candidate from the seat in Kerala. 

 With the Congress fielding the AICC general secretary from Wayanad, party workers had put up posters in the constituency which had "Wayanadinte Priyankari (Wayanad's beloved)" written on it. 

 Days after the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress had announced in June itself that Rahul Gandhi will retain the Rae Bareli parliamentary constituency in Uttar Pradesh and vacate the Wayanad seat in Kerala, from where his sister Priyanka Gandhi will make her electoral debut. If elected, this will be the first time that Priyanka Gandhi will enter Parliament as an MP. This will also be the first time that the three Gandhi family members -- Sonia, Rahul and Priyanka -- will be in Parliament together. 

 The EC last Tuesday announced bypolls to the Wayanad and Nanded Lok Sabha seats as well as in 48 Assembly constituencies. The bypoll to the Wayanad parliamentary seat and 47 Assembly seats will be held on November 13, along with the first phase of polling for the Jharkhand Assembly. The results will be announced on November 23.

 Trump wearing an apron over his shirt and tie made fries and interacted with the staff of McDonald's. "It requires great expertise, actually, to do it right and to do it fast," Trump said. "I like this job," he added. 

 Trump's visit to McDonald's came as a counter to Harris' statement of working at fast-food chain during her time in college, Al Jazeera reported.

 On the other hand, Harris participated in two worship services on her 60th birthday in Atlanta. During her visit to Divine Faith Ministries International in Jonesboro in Georgia, famous musician Stevie Wonder performed, singing his hit Higher Ground and a version of Bob Marley's Redemption Song. He also sang Happy Birthday to Harris, Al Jazeera reported.

 The announcement on the breakthrough comes a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's travel to the Russian city of Kazan to attend the BRICS Summit. Though there is no official announcement, it is expected that Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit. PTI

"You don't need drugs to feel good or beat stress. A good run, whether a kilometer or a marathon, is enough to clear the cobwebs & achieve a natural feeling of euphoria & enthusiasm. Try it, you won't regret it. Let's start running for a drug free J&K," the CM posted with a picture of him running. 

 During the inauguration ceremony, Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty was also present along with the J&K Chief Minister. This historic event marks a mesmerizing milestone for the region, promoting sports and tourism while showcasing Kashmir's stunning landscapes.

Speaking to reporters in Delhi Congress leader Wadettiwar said, "By tomorrow evening, we will finalise the 17 seats. There are issues on 6-7 seats in Vidarbha and that too will be resolved. We are going to contest as Aghadi...Since there are 3 parties sharing 288 seats, it took a little time...Final decision on all 288 seats for Maha Vikas Aghadi will be made by tomorrow evening."

Earlier today, Congress election in-charge for Maharashtra assembly elections, Ramesh Chennithala refuted all reports of difference among the INDIA alliance partners in Maharashtra and said that there are no differences in the Maha Vikas Aghadi and they are united.

"There are no differences (in Maha Vikas Aghadi). We are united. Talks are going on regarding seats, it will be resolved soon. We have a CEC meeting today," Chennithala said.

Earlier, UBT Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the objective of the alliance was to remove the corrupt government in Maharashtra.

"This is not about sacrifice, this is about national interest and Maharashtra's interest...We had indeed shown big-heartedness (during seat sharing for Lok Sabha elections) because we had to defeat enemies of the Constitution. Today, we have to remove from power, a corrupt Government in Maharashtra," he said.

On October 20, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday released its first list of 99 candidates for the Maharashtra assembly elections.Maharashtra has 288 Assembly seats, and the BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.As election day nears, both the Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) -- comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress -- have intensified their preparations, including seat-sharing discussions.

Maharashtra will vote in a single phase on November 20, with the results to be declared on November 23. In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, while Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress won 44 seats. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena secured 63, and Congress won 42 seats. 

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti noted that a separate bench of the apex court had junked the plea filed by AAP leader Sanjay Singh on April 8 in the same case. 

 "We must have a consistent approach," said the bench. The Gujarat High Court had on February 16 dismissed the pleas of Singh and Kejriwal seeking quashing of the summons issued against them in the case. Both politicians had challenged in the high court the summons issued by a trial court in the case filed by the Gujarat University and the subsequent order of the sessions court dismissing their revision pleas against the summons. PTI

The video shows a well-equipped bunker, complete with modern showers, several bathrooms, and a fully functional kitchen, stocked with food rations labelled with the United Nations Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) logo.  

IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari revealed that the IDF has had documentation of Sinwar's family for several months and emphasized that the IDF has been consistently monitoring him and seeking additional evidence using intelligence sources.

 According to the spokesperson, military intelligence was always aware that Sinwar was moving between Khan Yunis and Rafah, despite rumors suggesting that he had fled to Egypt. 

 "After his elimination, there are those trying to restore his honor. Sinwar hid and fled while the war often took place near and above him. While IDF commanders fought on the front lines, Hamas operatives acted, with their leader and other commanders also hiding and doing everything possible to escape."

The bunker contained multiple bottles of cologne, hygiene supplies, and even a private shower. According to an IDF soldier giving the tour of the bunker, Sinwar's personal quarters included a large safe filled with millions of Israeli shekels.

The current membership drive campaign began on October 11 and will last until the end of October, followed by a scrutiny period from November 1 to 5. Members will receive certificates after donating Rs 100 and having 50 members under their assembly, according to senior BJP sources. 

 The current membership process emphasises physical enrollment at the Mandal level, transitioning from online membership. A workshop is also being organised today under the leadership of BJP national president JP Nadda to facilitate this active membership campaign. This effort will lead to elections at the Mandal, district, state, and national levels, culminating in the election of the national president in January. 

 The BJP will hold a crucial meeting at party's extension office to discuss the election of party leaders across various organisational levels today. The workshop will focus on organisational elections aimed at empowering leaders with essential tools and strategies for effective election management and strengthening the party's internal framework.

This session seeks to enhance the party's internal dynamics while assessing the progress of the ongoing BJP membership campaign and exploring strategies to engage potential members, BJP sources told ANI. Attendees will include Central Election Committee office bearers, state election office bearers, national office bearers of the BJP, state presidents, and organisation secretaries. 

This diverse group will ensure comprehensive discussions and decision-making. Additionally, the BJP Minority Morcha has launched a unique "Audio Bridge" program to connect 26,000 Modi Mitra (influencers) simultaneously.

 This initiative allows influencers to understand the party's vision and connect with their respective communities to boost BJP membership. This program is a collaborative effort between Modi Mitra and the Sufi Samvad's Sufi saints, BJP sources told ANI. 

A letter circulated to Modi Friend (influencers) stated, "Dear Modi Friend, You're cordially invited to join the BJP membership campaign! To become a member, simply give a missed call on 8800002024 and follow the subsequent instructions. To learn more about the membership process, join our special 'Audio Bridge' program on October 7th."

 Subsequently, Serene Productions will hold a 50 per cent stake in Dharma, with Johar retaining the remaining 50 per cent ownership, it added.

 "Poonawalla's investment values Dharma at Rs 2,000 crore," the statement said. "We hope to build and grow Dharma and scale even greater heights in the years to come," Poonawalla said on the investment. 

 On the investment by Serene Productions, Johar said, "This partnership represents a perfect blend of our emotional storytelling prowess and forward-thinking business strategies. It's about honouring our roots while embracing the future of global entertainment." 

 Under the new structure, Johar as the Executive Chairman will spearhead the company's creative vision, while Apoorva Mehta, in his role as the Chief Executive Officer, will work with Johar in steering the strategic direction and overseeing the operations, the statement said. The collaboration aims to further transform content creation, distribution, and audience engagement by integrating advanced technologies and pioneering production methods, it added.

 The development comes at a time when India's entertainment industry has experienced significant expansion, driven by surging digital penetration and a diverse audience seeking high-quality content across multiple platforms, with growing global relevance, the company said. PTI

 A strong blast ripped through a wall of the CRPF school in Rohini's Prashant Vihar area on Sunday morning. No one was hurt in the blast but a signboard, hoardings of nearby shops and window panes of vehicles parked near the spot were damaged in the incident. 

 In its FIR filed on the incident, a copy of which has been accessed by PTI, police has mentioned a "white powder found scattered" at the site and said the explosion was caused by "unknown explosive substance". Meanwhile, police sources also said they have recovered CCTV footage of a suspect from the night before the incident. A purported Telegram post circulated on social media, which claimed that the blast was carried out in retaliation to the "targeting" of pro-Khalistan separatists allegedly by Indian agents. 

 The post surfaced on social media late on Sunday evening pointing to the possible involvement of pro-Khalistani separatists behind the blast. 

 "The police has written to Telegram to the know details of the creator of the group - Justice League Indian - in which the CCTV of the blast was shared with a Khalistan Zindabad watermark on it," a police source said. 

 A Telegram post by "Justice League India" read, "If Indian coward agency and their master think they can hire filthy goons to target our members to silence our voice then they live in fools world. They can't imagine how close we are to them and how capable we are to strike anytime #KhalistanZindabad #JLI." 

 A team of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) visited the spot on Monday morning. Sources said police has recovered a CCTV in which a suspect in white T-shirt is spotted on the spot, a night before the blast. It is suspected that an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), wrapped in a plastic bag, was hid in a one-feet-deep pit near the CRPF school wall, they said. The teams of Delhi Police Special Cell, Crime Branch and local police are investigating the case. 

 An FIR under Sections 326(g) (mischief with severe consequences to public safety) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act and Explosives Act was registered at Prashant Vihar police station. The FIR stated that there had been a "loud noise accompanied by white fumes of smoke" near the outer boundary wall of the CRPF Public School on Lancer Road. A hole, caused by the blast, in the boundary wall of the school is evident, the FIR said.

 Window panes and signboards of shops opposite the CRPF school were damaged due to the blast's impact, it said. During the inspection, white powder was found scattered near the site, the FIR said. Samples of "white powder" and soil collected from the spot were sent to the laboratory to ascertain the bomb's composition. The explosion was caused by an unknown explosive substance, it added.

 Addressing the NDTV World Summit in New Delhi, he also said India has a "double AI" advantage and that when the power of 'aspirational India' and 'artificial intelligence' combines then it is natural for development to take place at a fast pace. Modi said India is a friend in times of crisis and cited how the country sent vaccines to scores of nations during the Covid pandemic. 

 "India does not have 'taken for granted' relations, its relations are built on trust and reliability.

"When India moves forward there is no jealousy but world feels happy about it as its progress benefits the world," the prime minister said. 

 "India had been a force of global growth in history but India saw slavery and was not able to take advantage of industrial revolutions. Now, this is the time of Industry 4.0. We are not enslaved anymore and are ready for it.

The country is working on building the skill-set and infrastructure needed for Industry 4.0," Modi said. 

 He said India is a developing country but also a rising power. "We understand the challenges of poverty and also know how to make way for progress. Our government is fast making policies, taking decisions and undertaking new reforms," he said.

 India is giving hope to a world engulfed in various concerns, and is working on an unprecedented scale and speed in every field, Modi said. He said several agencies have revised India's growth forecast due to the speed of work in his government's third term.

 In the CCTV footage, a suspect can be seen at the spot wearing a white T-shirt. The activity was seen at the blast spot the night before the blast, sources said. 

 According to Delhi Police sources, the explosive was planted by wrapping it in a polythene bag and planting it in a half to one-foot-deep pit. After planting, the pit was covered with garbage. An explosion occurred outside CRPF School in Prashant Vihar area near Rohini in New Delhi on Sunday morning. While no injuries were reported, nearby vehicles and properties were damaged, police said. Earlier, after a preliminary investigation, Delhi Police filed a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Section 3 of the Indian Explosives Act, and other relevant sections to continue the probe.

 FIR lodged in the case reads, "A hole in the boundary wall of the school is evident, caused by the blast. Additionally, window panes and signboards of the shops opposite the CRPF school were damaged due to the blast's impact."

During the inspection, a white powder was found scattered near the site. The area was immediately cordoned off, and senior officers were informed about the situation. Meanwhile, senior officers also arrived at the scene.

 The crime team of Rohini District, FSL Rohini, BDT, NDRF, NSG, the Fire Department, and SWAT, were informed and all the teams reached the spot," the FIR stated. "From the inquiry conducted so far, inspection of the crime spot, a case of explosion caused by an unknown explosive substance found to have taken place, and prima facie an offence U/s 326(g) BNS, section 3, Explosive Substances Act and section 4, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act have been registered," it further added. The school serves students from CRPF and other paramilitary families.

 This is the second time within a week that schools are being shut owing to rains in Bengaluru. Commuters waded through the flooded roads to reach their destination. Several trees came down crashing in the city affecting vehicular movement. 

 The Indian Meteorology Department has sounded orange alert in Bengaluru for today. In a bulletin, it said, "Moderate to heavy Rain/thundershowers accompanied by lightning is likely to occur at isolated places over Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural districts." PTI

 "The joint team neutralized one heavily armed terrorist and recovered 01xAK Rifle, 02xAK Magazines, 57xAK Rounds, 02xPistols, 03xPistol Magazines and other war-like stores from the site, "said Chinar Corps in a statement.Ahead of this, Indian Army's Chinar Corps said that a joint anti-infiltration operation was launched in the area."Based on intelligence inputs regarding likely infiltration bid, a Joint anti-infiltration Operation was launched by #Indian Army & Jammu Kashmir Police along LOC in general area Uri, Baramulla. Alert troops spotted suspicious activity and challenged, which resulted in terrorists opening indiscriminate fire. Vigilant troops responded with effective fire. Operation is in progress," the Chinar Corps said.

Meanwhile, at least two labourers were killed in a terror attack in Gagangeer area of Jammu and Kashmir's (J-K) Ganderbal district on Sunday evening, officials said.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the attack, calling it a "dastardly and cowardly" attack on non-local labourers.

"Very sad news of a dastardly and cowardly attack on non-local labourers at Gagangir in Sonamarg region. These people were working on a key infrastructure project in the area. 2 have been killed and 2-3 more have been injured in this militant attack. I strongly condemn this attack on unarmed innocent people and send my condolences to their loved ones," Omar wrote on X

 The India Meteorological Department in a special message said Sunday's upper air cyclonic circulation over North Andaman Sea and adjoining Bay of Bengal has formed a low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea in the early morning. 

 "It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression by October 22 morning and into a cyclonic storm by October 23, over east-central Bay of Bengal," the IMD said. 

 The system is very likely to move northwestwards and reach northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha-West Bengal coasts by October 24 morning, it said. PTI

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini kept key departments, including home and finance, while Anil Vij got energy and transport as portfolios were allocated to the Council of Ministers on Sunday, three days after the swearing-in of a new government in the state.

 

Saini will handle 12 portfolios. Besides home and finance, he is also in charge of planning, excise and taxation, town and country planning and urban estates, information, public relations, language and culture, criminal investigation, law and legislative, and housing for all departments.

Vij, who held the home portfolio when Manohar Lal Khattar was the chief minister, has now also been given the charge of the labour department, in addition to energy and transport.

The health department, which Vij handled during the Khattar government, has now been allotted to Arti Singh Rao, who will also take care of the medical education and research and Ayush departments, said a government order issued late in the night in Chandigarh.

Saini (54) took oath as the chief minister of Haryana at a grand ceremony in Panchkula on Thursday that was attended by a galaxy of NDA leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and thousands of people from across the state.

Apart from him, 13 MLAs, including two women, took oath.

Rao Narbir Singh has been allotted industries and commerce, environment, forests and wildlife departments while Mahipal Dhanda got the school education department.

Vipul Goel has been allotted revenue and disaster management, urban local bodies and the civil aviation departments while Arvind Sharma will handle jails and cooperation portfolios. -- PTI

India's envoy to Canada has accused Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of destroying the ties between the two countries, asserting that he had nothing to do with the killing of a Khalistani separatist and that the charges against him are "politically motivated".

 

India recently expelled six Canadian diplomats and announced that it was withdrawing its high commissioner in Canada Sanjay Kumar Verma after dismissing Ottawa's allegations linking the envoy to the probe into the killing of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

Canada, however, said it had expelled six Indian diplomats.

In an interview with Canada's private broadcaster CTV News aired on Sunday, Verma said that Trudeau's allegations over Nijjar's killing were based on intelligence inputs rather than concrete evidence.

"The problem is that when he accused, he himself admitted there was no hard evidence. There was intelligence. On the basis of intelligence, if you want to destroy a relationship, be my guest. And that's what he (Trudeau) did," Verma said.

Testifying before the public inquiry into foreign interference in federal electoral processes and democratic institutions last week, Trudeau admitted that he had only intelligence and no "hard evidentiary proof" when he alleged the involvement of Indian government agents in the killing of Nijjar.

"Nothing at all. No evidence was presented (by Canada). (This is) politically motivated," the outgoing Indian envoy said when asked by the anchor if he had anything to do with Nijjar's killing.

Nijjar, who was declared a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 last year.

The Indian diplomat said Canada didn't follow the practice which should have been there.

"Evidence should have been shared first, but someone decided to stand in the Parliament and talk about a thing for which he himself has said there was 'no hard evidence'," he said, referring to Trudeau's address in the Canadian Parliament in September last year when he alleged involvement of Indian government's agents in the killing of Nijjar.

"And the day on which he did that, since then, he has made it sure that the bilateral relation with India only goes downwards, spiralling down," the diplomat said. -- PTI

Zeeshan Siddique, son of slain Nationalist Congress Party politician Baba Siddique, on Sunday, stated that the killers of his father "turned their sight" on him but he can't be intimidated.

"They silenced my father. But they forget - he was a lion and I carry his roar within me, his fight in my veins. He stood for justice, fought for change and withstood the storms with unwavering courage.

"Now, those who brought him down turn their sights on me assuming they've won, to them I declare: The blood of a lion runs in my veins. I am still here, unafraid and unbroken. They took one, but I rise in his place. This fight is far from over. Today, I stand where he stood : ALIVE, RELENTLESS and READY. To my people of Vandre East, I am always with you (sic)," he stated on X.

Former Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique was fatally shot, prima facie by three persons, near the office of Zeeshan Siddique in Bandra area of Mumbai on October 12 night.

Police have so far arrested 10 persons and looking for the main shooter and two alleged conspirators.

The motive behind the killing is yet to be identified and various angles were being investigated, including the alleged link to the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, police had said. -- PTI