LIVE
Sun, 27 October 2024
Maha polls: It's Shinde Sena vs Uddhav Sena in Worli
Timeline Refresh
22:39 President Biden to celebrate Diwali with Indian Americans at White House
President Joe Biden would celebrate Diwali at the White House Monday evening along with a large number of Indian Americans from across the country.
Continuing a tradition from previous years, the President will light a Diya lamp in the Blue Room before his remarks, the White House said.
After this he would deliver remarks before a gathering of Indian Americans, for whom he is hosting a reception.
This would be President Biden's last Diwali reception at the White House as he is not running for the presidential election.
Among the President's introductions will be a video message from Sunita Suni Williams, a decorated NASA astronaut and retired Navy Captain.
She recorded a video greeting from the International Space Station, where she took over as Commander in September, the White House said.
Suni is a practising Hindu and has previously sent Diwali greetings from the ISS to people across the globe. She has also brought multiple Indian/Hindu cultural itemsincluding samosas and copies of Upanishads and Bhagavad Gitawith her to space in celebration of her heritage, it said. -- PTI
Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora (left) and Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray
22:36 Maha polls: It's Shinde Sena vs Uddhav Sena in Worli
The Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday nominated Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora against ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray's son and Shiv Sena-UBT nominee Aaditya Thackeray from Mumbai's Worli in the upcoming assembly polls.
Deora, a former Congress leader and Union minister of state, joined the Sena before the Lok Sabha polls this year and was subsequently elected to the Rajya Sabha.
Shinde's decision to pit Deora against incumbent MLA and former state minister Aaditya Thackeray will make Worli a high-voltage contest.
The Shiv Sena on Sunday announced its candidates for 20 seats. It also fielded BJP Lok Sabha member Narayan Rane's son Nilesh Rane from the Kudal constituency.
His younger brother and sitting MLA Nitesh Rane has been renominated by the BJP from Kankavali in Sindhudurg district.
The party has picked Member of Legislative Council and former MP Bhawana Gawali from Risod in Washim district, while another MLC, Amshya Padvi, will contest on a Sena ticket from the Akkalkuva constituency in Dhule district. -- PTI
22:28 Man, son arrested for opening fire on police in Bihar's Nalanda
A man and his son fired at police personnel in Bihar's Nalanda district on Sunday, an official said.
However, none were injured in the firing and the father and son were arrested by the police, the official said.
The accused have been identified as Birbal Shaw and his son Shiv Shankar Kumar. According to a statement issued by the police, "The incident took place at around 11 am in the Rahui area when Birbal Shaw and Shiv Shankar Kumar had a fight with their neighbours -Santosh Kumar and his mother Sushila Devi - over some trivial issue. The police got a call that the father-son duo were beating Santosh Kumar and his mother."
The father-son duo were also firing in the air to intimidate the locals. Police personnel took the injured Shushila Devi.
"Despite repeated requests to surrender they opened fire at police. However, the cops escaped unhurt. Later, the father-son duo were arrested. A case has been registered and further investigation is on", said the statement. -- PTI
Devotees visit Ayodhya Ram temple themed Durga Puja pandal at Old Vidhan Sabha Dhurwa ahead of Durga Puja festival, in Ranchi on Sunday./ANI Photo
22:24 Ayodhya's Ram temple gears up for first Diwali
The Yogi Adityanath government is all set to host its eighth Deepotsav in Ayodhya this year, with grand and "environmentally conscious" preparations underway for the first Diwali at the newly built Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple.
The Uttar Pradesh government said it aims to create a new world record by lighting 25 to 28 lakh lamps along the banks of the Saryu River, while special eco-friendly lamps will illuminate the Ram temple.
These lamps are designed to prevent stains and soot from affecting the temple's structure and will remain lit for extended periods.
The government said environmental protection is also a key focus for this Deepotsav.
Special wax lamps will be used to minimise carbon emissions and protect the temple from soot damage.
The Ram temple complex, which will be adorned by special floral decoration, has been divided into various sections for decoration, with each section assigned specific responsibilities, the government said in a statement.
The overall supervision of lighting, entrance arch decorations, and thorough cleaning have been entrusted to Ashu Shukla, a retired IG from the Bihar cadre.
The temple trust aims to make Ayodhya not just a centre of religion and faith this Diwali, but also a symbol of cleanliness and environmental consciousness, the release said.
To ensure the Deepotsav's grandeur leaves a lasting impression, Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has decided to keep the temple open for 'Bhavan Darshan' from October 29 to November 1 until midnight, it said. -- PTI
21:52 Bengal CPM suspends ex-MLA over misbehaviour with woman scribe
The CPI-M on Sunday suspended former MLA Tanmoy Bhattacharya from party membership following an allegation by a woman journalist that he had misbehaved with her.
The journalist claimed that he had made improper advances and touched her when she went to interview him at his residence in Kolkata.
The allegation was denied by Bhattacharya, who claimed that she had come to interview her earlier also on several occasions.
The CPI-M state committee, in a press statement, said that the party views any such allegation with seriousness.
Stating that the allegation has affected the party's image among the people, the CPI-M said that Bhattacharya has been "suspended" from the party's membership.
"The complaint of the woman journalist has been sent to the party's internal complaint committee. Future steps will be taken on the basis of its recommendations," the statement said. -- PTI
File image
21:35 Delhi air quality deteriorates to 'very poor' due to calm winds
After a two-day gap, Delhi's air quality turned 'very poor' again on Sunday as calm winds prevented dispersion of pollutants.
Some areas in the national capital recorded 'severe' pollution levels. Delhi's 24-hour average Air Quality Index was recorded at 355 at 4 pm as against 255 on Saturday, Central Pollution Control Board data showed.
Data from 37 of the city's 40 monitoring stations was shared by the CPCB.
It showed that three stations -- Bawana, Burari and Jahangirpuri -- recorded 'severe' air quality.
The air quality was also 'very poor' in Delhi's neighbouring areas like Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Noida and 'poor' in Faridabad and Gurugram.
According to the India Meteorological Department, wind speed in the city was recorded at 0 kmph. -- PTI
File image
21:14 Akasha Air flight inspected at Gorakhpur airport after bomb threat
A bomb threat on Sunday was reported on an Akasa Air flight, enroute from Bengaluru to Delhi via Gorakhpur, which was found hoax after inspection.
During a thorough inspection at the Gorakhpur airport, no suspicious item was found, Gorakhpur Airport director RK Parasher said.
The flight landed in Gorakhpur at 1:33 pm and the door opened at 1:50 pm.
The aircraft was carrying 174 passengers and three infants.
The inspection of the aircraft and the passengers continued till 2:42 pm and the flight took off at 3:43 pm for Delhi, Parasher said.
Ahead of the plane's arrival, the airport saw a high-security response, with the police, Indian Air Force, Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, fire brigade, and medical teams arriving on the site.
Senior officials also rushed to the scene to manage the situation, he said.
Passengers were safely evacuated, and a thorough inspection of the aircraft was conducted, revealing no suspicious items.
Following the all-clear, the flight continued its journey to Delhi. -- PTI
TVK leader and top Tamil actor Vijay addresses his maiden public rally in TN/ANI Photo
20:51 In maiden public speech, Vijay targets DMK, NEET
Forces dividing the country on various lines and corrupt entities are his party's enemies, TVK leader and top Tamil actor Vijay said in Villupuram on Sunday, and announced his party has been based on secular social justice ideologies with leaders like EVR Periyar and K Kamaraj as its guiding lights.
The latest entrant to Tamil Nadu politics, Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam founder Vijay took an apparent dig at the DMK and its first family, saying its leaders were calling the "anti-people government as Dravida model government."
The Dravida model government is a reference to DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin's oft-repeated statement that such a model of governance was an inclusive one ensuring the well-being of all sections of Tamil society.
In his maiden public speech eight months after announcing the launch of TVK, Vijay said the late veterans MG Ramachandran and NT Ramarao where ridiculed as mere cinema actors when they made their political plunge "but they continue to remain in the hearts of the people" of the respective states, ie, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
"Some here have been painting anyone entering politics with a particular colour, fooling people but they will be doing underground dealings, make noises during election and always talk about fascism. And create majority-minority fears among people who are united," he said, addressing the well-attended state public conference at Vikravandi in this district. -- PTI
File image
20:17 Maoist injured in encounter with police in Chhattisgarh, hospitalised
A Maoist was injured in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Sunday, a police official Bijapur said.
A gunfight broke out in the forest of Kummameta village under the Bhairamgarh police station area when a team of District Reserve Guard of the state police was out on an anti-Maoist exercise, he said.
The operation was launched based on inputs about the presence of Matwada LOS (local organisation squad) commander Anil Punem and 10-12 armed cadres in the forest of Matwada in the area, he said.
After the exchange of fire stopped, a Maoist, identified as Rakesh Kumar Oyam, was found injured at the encounter site, he said.
The wounded cadre was taken to the Bijapur district hospital where he was given preliminary treatment and later shifted to a hospital in Jagdalpur, the headquarters of the state's tribal-dominated Bastar region, he said. -- PTI
19:54 Six cyber criminals arrested from Delhi, Rajasthan
The Delhi police arrested six people from Rajasthan and the national capital under a special drive against cyber fraudsters, officials on Sunday said.
According to the police, 110 complaints on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal were found to be linked to those arrested and transactions of nearly Rs 5 crore were found in their bank accounts.
They were using three different modus operandi to dupe people -- online investment frauds, fake websites for child-modelling frauds and fake updation of electricity bills.
"Our team launched an operation against the cyber fraudsters on the basis of ongoing different cases. In a two-day operation in Jaipur and Delhi, a total of six people were apprehended and arrested," deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said.
The arrested were identified as Bipul Kumar (44), Sharwan Pareek (55), Avadhesh Udaiwal (41) and Mukesh Kumar (30) from Jaipur in Rajasthan, and Devender Singh and Bhipender Mahamana from Delhi. -- PTI
BKU leader Rakesh Tikait/File image
19:23 Salman should apologise to Bishnoi community: Tikait
Amidst reports of a threat to Bollywood star Salman Khan's life from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said the actor should apologise to the Bishnoi community because if a dispute is resolved by apologising, then there is nothing wrong in it.
Tikait, who was here to take part in a farmers' "Mahapanchayat", said this while replying to a reporter's question on jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi.
"If any dispute ends by apologising to the Bishnoi community, then what is wrong in it? If a mistake has been made knowingly or unknowingly, then what does Salman Khan lose in apologising?" the farmer leader asked.
He also alleged that the Uttar Pradesh government, which had promised free electricity to farmers, has started installing meters in their fields.
"We do not know how free electricity will come from the meters," he said while talking to reporters after the "Kisan Mahapanchayat" held at Mundera in Prayagraj. -- PTI
A view of the Tirupati Balaji temple/ANI Photo
19:09 Hotels in Tirupati receive hoax bomb threats, police conduct search
About half a dozen hotels in Tirupati town received hoax bomb email threats in the past three days, police said on Sunday.
As soon as the police received such complaints, the specific hotel was evacuated and searches conducted by bomb disposal squads.
"We reacted swiftly when we received complaints and our teams conducted thorough checks. But they (fake email threats) turned out to be fake. We are booking cases and investigations into these are going on," L Subbarayudu, superintendent of police Tirupati said on Sunday. -- PTI
18:47 After Bandra stampede, CR imposes platform ticket sale curbs
Central Railway on Sunday imposed a temporary restriction on sale of platform tickets at major stations to reduce festival crowding, the move coming hours after nine people were injured at Western Railway's Bandra Terminus while trying to board a train to Gorakhapur in Uttar Pradesh.
Nine persons were injured at 2:45am while trying to enter the unreserved Bandra Terminus-Gorakhpur Antyodaya Express when it was entering platform number 1 from the yard ahead of its scheduled departure at 5:10am.
Videos of the incident went viral on social media.
In a release issued during the day, CR said the platform ticket sale restrictions will be in force in Chhatrapati Shivjai Maharaj Terminus, Dadar, Kurla LTT, Thane, Kalyan, Pune and Nagpur stations with immediate effect. -- PTI
File image
18:23 Hotels in Lucknow get bomb threats
At least 10 major hotels in the Uttar Pradesh capital received bomb threats via email on Sunday.
The email threatened that explosions would take place if a ransom demand of $55,000 (Rs 4,624,288) is not met.
"Bombs are hidden in black bags on the grounds of your hotel. I want USD 55,000, or I will detonate the explosives and blood will spill everywhere. Any attempt at defusing the bombs will detonate them," read the threat email, a copy of which is with PTI.
Brajesh Kumar, a manager of one of the hotels, told PTI Videos, "We received the threat mail in the morning. As a precaution we reported the matter to the local police station and a team has come to look into the matter."
"We already have systems to scan all the guests and their luggage. Even then, as a precaution we are helping the police to scan the hotel," he added.
Senior police officials could not be reached for a comment despite several attempts.
Authorities have been grappling with a number of hoax bomb threats targeting Indian airlines during the last fortnight. -- PTI
A C-295 plane/Courtesy airbus.com
18:05 First C-295 aircraft to roll out of Guj facility in 2026
Ahead of the inauguration of a manufacturing facility for C-295 planes in Vadodara, official sources on Sunday said of the 40 aircraft to be made in India, the first C-295 is likely to roll out of the plant in September 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation stone of the Final Assembly Line plant of C-295 aircraft in Vadodara in October 2022.
The ministry of defence in September 2021 signed a Rs 21,935-crore contract with Airbus Defense and Space SA, Spain for supply of 56 aircraft.
Of these 56 aircraft, a total of 16 will be brought in flyaway condition directly from Spain, and 40 will be built in India by Tata Advanced Systems Ltd.
First C-295 medium tactical transport aircraft was delivered in September 2023.
As on date, the IAF has "already inducted six C-295 aircraft" in its Vadodara-based 11 Squadron.
The last of the 16 flyaway aircraft will be delivered by August 2025, an official source said. -- PTI
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu
17:57 Govt taking steps to ban hoax bomb perpetrators from flying: Aviation min
Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Sunday said the Centre is mulling to take steps to ban perpetrators who resort to hoax bomb threats from flying.
Speaking to mediapersons here after formally inaugurating two flights Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada, the minister also said besides taking support from international agencies, law enforcement wings and the Intelligence Bureau to prevent these fake threats, the union government is also mulling to amend two Civil Aviation Laws.
"We are also taking the support of international agencies, law enforcement agencies, the Intelligence Bureau to prevent these. We are planning to bring changes to two civil aviation laws. Those who resort to these kinds of activities will be punished severely and imposed a penalty. We are also taking steps to ban such persons from flying. We will announce them in the coming days," he said. -- PTI
17:25 Delhi HC transfers over 200 judicial officers in subordinate courts
The Delhi high court has transferred several judicial officers in its subordinate courts within the national capital, including the judge hearing the cancellation report filed by the Delhi police in a minor wrestler's sexual harassment case against former BJP MP and ex-Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Besides identifying new postings for 233 judicial officers in Delhi Judicial Services, the high court also issued a separate notification for the posting of 23 judicial officers in Delhi Higher Judicial Service.
The registrar general of the high court issued the list of transfers on Friday with immediate effect.
Special judge (POCSO) Chhavi Kapoor of the Patiala House court, who was hearing the matter against Brij Bhushan Singh, has been transferred to the Rouse Avenue court as a special judge. -- PTI
16:45 50 flights get bomb threats on Sunday
At least 50 flights operated by Indian airlines received bomb threats on Sunday, according to sources.
In 14 days, more than 350 flights operated by the Indian carriers have received hoax bomb threats.
Most of the threats were issued through social media.
Akasa Air on Sunday said 15 of its flights got security alerts and after thorough inspections, all aircraft were released for operations.
The sources in the know said IndiGo received threats for 18 flights and Vistara for 17 flights.
Against the backdrop of a spate of hoax bomb threats to airlines, the IT Ministry has asked social media platforms to observe due diligence obligations and promptly remove or disable access to misinformation within the strict timelines prescribed under IT rules. -- PTI
File image
16:41 AI Express plans to start flights to Bangkok, Phuket
Air India Express plans to start flights to Bangkok and Phuket in the coming months as the Tata Group-owned airline expands its network.
Currently, the carrier flies to 14 international cities, mostly in the Middle East, and 35 domestic destinations.
It has a fleet of 90 aircraft and operates more than 400 flights daily.
A senior official told PTI that the airline will be expanding its operations and plans to start services to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand.
The airline is expanding its network and this week announced that it will start flights to Jammu and Sri Vijaya Puram (Port Blair) from December 1.
It has services to 14 overseas destinations -- Abu Dhabi, Doha, Dubai, Kuwait, Ras al-Khaimah, Riyadh, Al Ain, Bahrain, Dammam, Jeddah, Muscat, Salalah, Sharjah and Singapore.
Another official in the know said the carrier is focused on expanding its presence in the leisure travel segment and continuing to strengthen routes mainly catering to the expat community. -- PTI
16:25 Five killed after car plunges into valley in Himachal's Mandi
Five people, including a 16-year-old, died after a car fell into a ravine in the Chauhar valley of Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, the police confirmed on Sunday.
The incident reportedly took place on Saturday night, when the group was returning from a wedding ceremony.
One of the deceased was identified to be a 16-year-old, whereas the other four people were reportedly between 20-25 years old, according to Mandi superintendent of police, Sakshi Verma. -- ANI
File image
16:11 24 hurt in suspected terror attack in Israel
At least 24 people were injured when a truck struck a bus in the area of Glilot north of Tel Aviv in a suspected terror attack on Sunday morning.
Numerous victims are still trapped beneath the truck.
An initial investigation indicates that the bus arrived at a stop by an army base to drop off passengers when it was hit by the truck.
Police sources said the truck driver--a resident of the Israeli-Arab town of Qalansawe--was shot and killed by a civilian at the scene after exiting the vehicle while reportedly holding a knife.
Many of the victims were said to be elderly retirees on their way to a nearby museum.
Magen David Adom responders said they were providing medical treatment and transported 10 injured individuals to the Beilinson and Ichilov hospitals in Tel Aviv.
Two were in serious condition, two in moderate condition, and four in mild condition. -- ANI/TPS
The late former MP Shahabuddin/File image
16:05 Former MP Shahabuddin's wife, son join RJD
Wife and son of late former MP Shahabuddin, Hena Sahab and Osama, on Sunday joined Rashtriya Janata Dal.
RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and Bihar's former deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav welcomed the mother-son duo into the party fold.
Hena Sahab had previously contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Siwan as an independent candidate.
Later in the day, speaking to reporters, Lalu Yadav said, "It's good. We welcome him."
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav told reporters that the re-joining of the mother-son duo will strengthen the party in Siwan district.
"Today in the presence of RJD's chief (Lalu Yadav), our strong leader Hena Sahab has re-joined the party. Her son Osama has also joined the party. Many supporters have also taken the party membership. I believe that this will strengthen the party in Siwan as well as in the whole of Bihar. Through this medium, we will work to spread our ideology of secularism to the people."
Mohammad Shahabuddin served as the Siwan MP from 1996 to 2004. Known for his dominance in Siwan, he died in 2021 from COVID-19 infection while serving a life sentence in Delhi's Tihar Jail for a double murder.
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh said, "It is a good thing, whoever wants to join should join... This shows what they (RJD) are doing, who all are they bringing and blaming us but they are the ones doing the work."
The development came ahead of the by-polls in the state. The bypolls in Bihar will be held in Ramgarh, Tarari, Imamganj and Belaganj.
The bypolls are spread over 15 states - Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal.
The assembly elections in Bihar are likely to be held in October-November 2025. (ANI)
File image
15:40 Marathon to affect central Delhi traffic on Tuesday
Traffic will be affected in central Delhi on Tuesday as a marathon will be flagged off on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, an advisory said.
According to the advisory, around 7,700 people will take part in the 'Run for Unity', which will begin from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium.
Motorists are hereby informed that as a part of the celebration of Rashtriya Ekta Divas, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a 'Run for Unity' will be flagged off from gate number 1 of Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium on Tuesday at 7:40 am, the advisory stated.
Approximately 7,700 participants will take part in the event.
They will reach the venue by bus and car.
Therefore, traffic will be restricted towards India Gate, C-Hexagon from 6:45 am till the completion of the function, it said.
The route will start from gate number 1, Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, C-Hexagon, opposite Shahjahan Road and at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Statue, the advisory said. -- PTI
Tamil Nadu deputy Chief Minister minister Udhayanidhi Stalin
15:14 In rare departure from DMK traditions, Udhayanidhi extends Diwali greetings
In a rare departure from the DMK's traditions, party leader and Tamil Nadu deputy Chief Minister minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has extended his Deepavali greetings to those "who have faith," remarks that drew sarcastic response from opposition BJP.
The BJP has been targeting the DMK for not wishing people on Hindu festivals, including Deepavali and Vinayaka Chathurthi.
DMK leaders including its late president and former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi have not greeted people on Deepavali, in line with their rationalistic beliefs.
However, at a party event in Chennai on Saturday, while extending his greetings to supporters for the party's platinum jubilee celebrations, Udhayanidhi also greeted people for "Deepa oli thirunaal" much to the surprise of many.
"I extend my greetings on our (DMK) platinum jubilee celebrations; Deepa oli thirunaal greetings to those having belief and celebrating it," he said. -- PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi/File image
14:38 PM to launch health cover for 70+ seniors on Oct 29
The health coverage for all citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of their income status under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana is likely to be rolled out by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 29, an official source said.
The U-WIN portal developed for maintaining an electronic registry of routine immunisations, which is currently operational on a pilot basis, will also be launched by the prime minister on the same day.
Besides the two, some other projects will also be launched on Tuesday, the source said.
The U-Win platform, which is a replication of the COVID-19 vaccine management system Co-WIN, has been developed to keep a permanent digital record of vaccination of pregnant women as well as children from birth up to the age of 17 under the Universal Immunization Programme.
"The PM is likely to launch the expanded scheme under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme for those aged 70 years and above. It will benefit an estimated six crore citizens in about 4.5 crore households," the source said. -- PTI
File image
14:28 Cyclone Dana impacted 35.95 lakh people in Odisha, no casualty: Minister
A total of 35.95 lakh people in Odisha have been impacted by cyclone Dana and subsequent flooding in 14 districts, the state's revenue and disaster management minister Suresh Pujari said on Sunday.
Pujari also said as many as 8,10,896 people were evacuated to 6,210 cyclone relief centres.
The worst-hit districts include Kendrapara, Balasore and Bhadrak, while the human casualty still stands at zero, he told reporters in Bhubaneswar.
By 10.30 am of Sunday, evacuated people were sheltered in 1,178 cyclone relief centres and they are being provided cooked food and other essential items, the minister said.
Polythene sheets are being given to people who lost their houses in the calamity.
He said cyclone Dana, which struck early Friday, affected people in 1,671 gram panchayats under 108 blocks spread across 14 districts.
According to preliminary reports, around 5,840 houses have been fully or partially damaged due to the cyclone and subsequent flooding, Pujari said. -- PTI
Union Home Minister Amit Shah/File image
14:16 Peace can be established in WB only when: Shah
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said peace can be established in West Bengal only when cross-border infiltration from Bangladesh stops.
He claimed that illegal immigration from the neighbouring country will be stopped if the BJP comes to power in West Bengal in 2026.
Addressing the inauguration of a new passenger terminal building and cargo gate at Petrapole land port along the India-Bangladesh border in Bengal, he slammed the TMC government over the issue of corruption and exhorted the people of the state to bring in political change in 2026.
In establishing peace in the region, land ports play an important role.
"When there is no scope for the legal movement of people across the border, illegal modes of movement arise, which impacts the peace of the country. I urge the people of Bengal to bring in change in 2026, and we will stop infiltration, and peace will come," he said. -- PTI
File image
14:04 Police seize Rs 1.32 cr in south Mumbai; five detained
The police have seized Rs 1.32 crore cash from five persons in south Mumbai amid the election code of conduct in place for the Maharashtra assembly polls, an official said on Sunday.
According to the police, they received information that five persons were carrying bags with cash at Bhoiwada in Bhuleshwar Bazaar on Saturday, and a trap was laid.
The official said a flying squad deployed by the Election Commission and police brought the five suspects to VP Road police station for further action after the seizure was videographed.
He said the bags contained Rs 1.32 crore, which was handed over to the Income Tax department. -- PTI
13:32 Salman Khan to perform at 'Da-bangg The Tour-Reloaded' in Dubai
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on Sunday announced that he is set to perform at the Da-bangg The Tour - Reloaded in Dubai on December 7.
Besides Salman, Sonakshi Sinha, Jacqueline Fernandez, Disha Patani, Tamannaah Bhatia, Prabhu Deva, Maniesh Paul, Sunil Grover, and Aastha Gill will also perform at the event.
The actor, who is currently shooting for his upcoming film Sikandar, shared the announcement on his official X page.
"DUBAI get ready for DA-BANGG THE TOUR - RELOADED on 7th December 2024 #SonakshiSinha @Asli_Jacqueline @DishPatani @tamannaahspeaks @PDdancing @ManishPaul03 @WhoSunilGrover @GillAastha @patel_jordy @theJAEvents @SohailKhan #AdilJagmagia #SohailKhanEntertainment," Khan wrote on the microblogging site.
According to the poster shared by the actor, the event is billed as "4+ hours of non-stop dance, music, fun, laughter & party."
It will be held at the Dubai Harbour. -- PTI
13:10 Five killed, 12 injured in accidents in MP's Betul
Five persons were killed and 12 injured in separate accidents involving heavy vehicles in Madhya Pradesh's Betul district, the police said on Sunday.
Two persons died, and 12 sustained injuries when a tractor-tractor transporting them overturned near Hanuman Dol on Betul-Parasia Road around 7 am on Sunday, an official said.
Additional superintendent of police Kamla Joshi said the victims were labourers returning home to their village from Betul railway station in a tractor-trolley.
The vehicle overturned, killing two of them, she said, adding that the injured were taken to a hospital.
The official said the labourers had travelled to Betul from Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, where they had gone to work in a factory a month ago.
Collector Narendra Raghuvanshi said there were 21 persons on the tractor-trolley, all residents of Bakud and Dulara villages in Ghoradongri tehsil, who returned from Kanyakumari for the festive season. -- PTI
File image
12:35 Sri Lanka arrests 12 Indian fishermen, seize trawler
The Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday arrested 12 Indian fishermen and seized their trawler for allegedly poaching in its territorial waters, according to an official statement.
With the latest arrest, the number of Indian nationals apprehended this year by the island nation in such incidents has risen to 462.
The fishermen were arrested, and their trawler was seized off the coast of Point Pedro, Jaffna, in the northern province, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a press release.
The 12 apprehended fishermen were escorted to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for further action, it said.
The Sri Lankan Navy has "held 62 Indian fishing boats and 462 Indian fishermen in island waters thus far in 2024 and handed them over to authorities for legal action," the statement said. -- PTI
12:28 Awareness essential in protecting oneself from scam of cyber arrests: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke about the cyber crime of "digital arrests", noting that it has hit all sections of society and urging people to adopt the mantra of "stop, think and take action" when faced with such a scam.
In his 'Mann ki Baat' broadcast, Modi said probe agencies are working with states to deal with the issue but added that awareness is essential in protecting oneself from this crime.
The prime minister played a representative video to show how such criminals pose as probe agency officials to prey on people's fear after gathering detailed information about their potential victims.
He said, "Beware of Digital Arrest frauds. No investigative agency will ever contact you by phone or video call for such an investigation."
Modi asked people to dial 1930 to connect with national cyber helpline or connect with its portal and also inform police about such a crime.
They should record such conversations and also take screenshots, he said touching on the crime which has been frequently reported.
In his broadcast, the prime minister also lauded increasing impact Indian talents have been making in the world of animation.
He said a wave of creative energy is sweeping India.
'Made in India' and 'Made by India' is shining brightly in the world of animation, he added. -- PTI
Congress MP Sajjan Kumar
11:45 HC admits CBI appeal against acquittal of Sajjan Kumar in anti-Sikh riots
The Delhi high court has admitted an appeal by the CBI against the acquittal of former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar and others in a murder and rioting case related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
In an order passed on October 21, a bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma granted 'leave to appeal' to the probe agency against the trial court's decision of September 20, 2023, and listed the matter for further consideration in December.
'Leave to appeal' is a formal permission granted by a court to a party to challenge a decision in a higher court.
"In the opinion of this Court, the CBI's leave to appeal deserves to be granted...The leave petition is allowed...Admit," the court said in the order.
The court also admitted the appeal by the victim, Sheela Kaur, in case against the order of acquittal, and asked the registry to put up a report on the existence of any other appeals relating to the 1984 riots against the present accused persons.
On September 20, 2023, Special Judge Geetanjli Goel had acquitted Kumar in the case by giving him the "benefit of doubt" and said the prosecution "failed to prove the charge against the accused persons beyond reasonable doubt".
The trial court had also acquitted two other accused, Ved Prakash Pial and Brahmanand Gupta, holding that the prosecution failed to prove the case of murder and rioting against them.
A Sikh man Surjit Singh was killed during the incident in Sultanpuri. --PTI
11:17 Actor Vijay to spell out party's ideology today
Months after announcing his political party Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK), top Tamil actor Vijay is likely to spell out his political agenda and vision for the state during his keenly watched maiden public meeting in Villupuram on Sunday.
Vijay has announced facing the 2026 assembly polls, spicing up the political battlefield long dominated by the Dravidian rivals Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, with a resurgent Bharatiya Janata Party under K Annamalai making some impressive strides in this year's Lok Sabha polls.
The saffron party is keen to put up a good show in the hustings in 2026 as well.
Vijay, whose movies have been top grossers, unveiled his party in February this year, joining a list of Tamil cinema celebrities who had taken the political plunge.
He had unveiled the TVK party flag recently and the Sunday public conference at Vikravandi in this district is being keenly watched by political parties, observers and people alike as he is all set to unveil his vision for the state and the political agenda.
Although, the 50 year-old actor-politician has given adequate hints of not deviating from the current political trends, as he has spoken out against NEET, a political hot potato in Tamil Nadu.
A number of medical aspirants, starting from S Anitha of Ariyalur way back in 2017 have ended their lives over either failure to crack the qualifying test or due to fears of unable to clear it.
That the conference venue had cutouts of Dravidian stalwart EV Ramasamy 'Periyar', besides that of BR Ambedkar gave ample hints of his party's principles.
A cutout of veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister K Kamaraj was also spotted at the venue.
Tamil Nadu has always been opposed to NEET, with both the AIADMK in the past and the ruling DMK piloting Assembly resolutions calling for a 'ban' on NEET.
Vijay's latest film, the big budget, multi-starrer 'GOAT' is said to be his swansong work.
With their leader all set to address them later in the day, his supporters started thronging the conference venue early on Sunday, braving the hot sun and with a hope to catch a glimpse of their 'Thalapathy', or the Commander as he is addressed by them.
Vijay is the latest big ticket entrant to the political landscape of Tamil Nadu, with actor Kamal Haasan being the last one to launch his Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) about six years ago.
Prior to that, the late Vijayakanth had launched his Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam way back in 2005 and tasted electoral success, although Hassan has not been in a similar league.
While superstar Rajinikanth had announced taking the political plunge a few years ago, he later backtracked citing health reasons.
The iconic M G Ramachandran, popularly known as MGR, is seen as the trendsetter of cinema-to-politics graduation, when he founded the AIADMK in 1972 after being expelled from the DMK by its then chief M Karunanidhi. MGR later went on to rule the state from 1977-87 till his death.
His protege, yesteryear actor, the late J Jayalalithaa also is also a former CM. Karunanidhi was also involved in cinema, as a screenplay and dialogue writer.
Other actors, including MGR's contemporary, late thespian Sivaji Ganesan and K Bhagyaraj too dabbled in politics briefly with their own respective parties and outfits. -- PTI
10:51 Delhi pollution worsens, people say it 'feels suffocating'
The air quality deteriorated in the national capital on Sunday, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) being recorded at 352, in the 'very poor' category, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).
This is worse than the average AQI recorded at 255 on Saturday, categorised as 'poor'.
Moreover, AQI in Anand Vihar area crossed the 400 mark, being recorded as 405 at 7 am, categorised as 'severe', worse than the AQI of 367 recorded on Saturday.
AQI at the Akshardham Temple deteriorated 261, whereas IGI airport recorded an AQI of 324, both categorised as 'very poor'.
A layer of thick smog enveloped certain parts of the city.
Himanshu, a visitor to the national capital said that the increasing pollution feels 'suffocating'.
"It feels suffocating due to pollution...The govt should look into what can be done to reduce pollution," he told ANI.
09:47 Stampede at Bandra station, 9 injured
Nine persons were injured in a stampede after rush for boarding a train at Bandra railway station in Mumbai on Sunday morning, a civic official said.
The incident took place at 5.56 am on platform number one at the Bandra Terminus.
There was rush for boarding train 22921 Bandra-Gorakhpur Express, the official from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said.
All the injured persons were rushed to the Bhabha Hospital. Those injured have been identified as Shabhir Abdul Rehman (40), Parmeshwar Sukhdar Gupta (28), Ravindra Harihar Chuma (30), Ramsevak Ravindra Prasad Prajapati (29), Sanjay Tilakram Kangay (27), Divyanshu Yogendra Yadav (18), Mohammad Shareef Shaikh (25), Indrajith Sahani (19) and Noor Mohammad Shaikh (18), the official said. -- PTI
09:01 Sena-UBT declares candidates for 2 disputed seats
The Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray on Saturday named Haroon Khan and Sanjay Bhalerao as its candidates for Versova and Ghatkopar West seats where Congress and Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar had also staked claims for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party also fielded Vinod Ghosalkar, father of Sena-UBT leader Abhishek Ghosalkar who was shot dead in February, from Dahisar constituency, and Bhairulal Jain from Malabar Hill.
Sitting MLA Rutuja Latke has been renominated from Andheri East.
Pravin Morazkar is the Sena-UBT nominee from Kurla.
Mumbai has a total of 36 assembly segments.
The Sena-UBT is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party. -- PTI
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party also fielded Vinod Ghosalkar, father of Sena-UBT leader Abhishek Ghosalkar who was shot dead in February, from Dahisar constituency, and Bhairulal Jain from Malabar Hill.
Sitting MLA Rutuja Latke has been renominated from Andheri East.
Pravin Morazkar is the Sena-UBT nominee from Kurla.
Mumbai has a total of 36 assembly segments.
The Sena-UBT is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party. -- PTI
08:35 Not all is resolved: Jaishankar on LAC agreement
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said the breakthrough agreement with China on patrolling along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) does not mean that issues between the two countries have been resolved, however, the disengagement allows us to look at the next step.
He credited the military, which worked in 'very very unimaginable' conditions, and deft diplomacy for the breakthrough agreement with China.
"The latest step (of disengagement) was the October 21 understanding that patrolling will take place in Depsang and Demchok. This will allow us now to look at the next step. It is not like everything has been resolved but the disengagement which is the first phase we have managed to reach that level," Jaishankar said at an event in Pune.
Responding to a question during a separate interaction with students, Jaishankar said it is still a bit early for normalisation of relations which will naturally take time to rebuild a degree of trust and willingness to work together.
He said when PM Narendra Modi met Chinese President Xi Jinping at Kazan in Russia for the BRICS summit, it was decided that the foreign ministers and National Security Advisors of the two countries would meet and see how to move forward.
"If today we have reached where we have...One is because of the very determined effort on our part to stand our ground and make our point. The military was there (at LAC) in very very unimaginable conditions to defend the country, and the military did its part and diplomacy did its part," Jaishankar said.
Over the decade, India improved its infrastructure, he said, adding that part of the problem is that in the earlier years, the border infrastructure was really neglected.
"Today we have put in five times more resources annually than there used to be a decade ago which is showing results and enabling the military to actually be effectively deployed. The combination of these (factors) has led to where it is," he said.
Since 2020, the situation on the border has been very disturbed which understandably negatively impacted the overall relationship. Since September 2020, India has been negotiating with the Chinese to find a solution, he said.
The EAM said there were different aspects of this solution. The pressing one is disengagement because troops are very very close to each other and the possibility of something happening existed.
Then there is de-escalation because of troop buildup on both sides, he added.
"There is a larger issue of how you manage the border and negotiate the boundary settlement. Right now everything that's going on is concerning the first part which is disengagement," he said.
He said India and China came to an understanding at some places after 2020 on how troops return to their bases but a significant segment was related to patrolling.
"There was blocking of patrolling and that is what we had been trying to negotiate for the last two years. So what happened on October 21 was that in those particular areas Depsang and Demchok, we reached an understanding that patrolling would resume how it used to be before," Jaishankar added.
Following the agreement, the two countries have begun troop disengagement at the two friction points at Demchok and Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh and this process is likely to be completed by October 28-29.
On 'string of pearls', a chain of civilian/naval ports perceived as a strategy for encircling India, Jaishankar said the development has to be viewed seriously, and India needs to be ready to compete.
The term refers to the network of Chinese military and commercial facilities and relationships along its sea lines of communication.
"Unfortunately when it was happening, people (did not see it seriously). Frankly, we are paying the price for it. We did not respond the way we had to. It was done for ideological reasons. The view of China was very different in the political circles of the government," the EAM added. -- PTI
TOP STORIES
© 2025 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances