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Thu, 12 September 2024
Mumbai police record Malaika's mom's statement
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Malaika and Amrita Arora with their parents, Joyce Arora and Anil Mehta/Courtesy Instagram
23:54 Mumbai police record Malaika's mom's statement
The Mumbai police on Thursday recorded a statement of Joyce, actor-model Malaika Arora's mother, in connection with the alleged suicide of Malaika's stepfather Anil Mehta.
Anil Mehta (62) allegedly jumped off the sixth floor of the building `Ayesha Manor' in upscale Bandra (West) on Wednesday morning, as per the police.
His wife and Malaika's mother Joyce was in the flat when the incident took place, an official said.
Joyce in her statement told police that she saw Anil's slippers in the room and started looking for him before she heard the building's watchman shouting for help, and looked down from the balcony, he said.
Mehta was found lying in a pool of blood on the building's premises.
The police will also record the statements of Malaika and her sister Amrita Arora besides the watchman and eye-witnesses in a day or two, the official said. -- PTI
23:32 20-year-old MBBS student commits suicide in MP's Ujjain
A 20-year-old MBBS student died allegedly by suicide at his home in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain city on Thursday, a police official said.
Pranshul Vyas was in the second year of his medical education at the state-run Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College in Indore, about 50 km from Ujjain, and lived in a rented accommodation with two friends, Nanakheda police station in-charge Narendra Kumar Yadav said.
He was alone when he hanged himself in his home in Ujjain's Vasant Vihar colony.
Yadav said that no suicide note was found in the room where the student took the extreme step. Pranshul had searched on his mobile phone how to tie a noose around the neck, the official said.
Yadav said police will question his roommates, and friends and go through his social media accounts and mobile phone to find out why he killed himself. -- PTI
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23:01 Southwest monsoon may begin withdrawing between Sep 19 and 25
The southwest monsoon may start withdrawing from the country between September 19 and 25, the India Meteorological Department said on Thursday.
Typically, the southwest monsoon makes its onset over Kerala by June 1 and covers the entire country by July 8.
It starts retreating from northwest India around September 17, withdrawing entirely by October 15.
"Conditions are likely to become favourable for withdrawal of southwest monsoon from some parts of northwest India during the second half of the week (September 19-25)," the IMD said.
Since June 1, when the four-month monsoon season starts, the country has received 836.7 mm rainfall, eight per cent higher than the normal of 772.5 mm.
East and northeast India recorded 16 percent below-normal rainfall while the other three zones -- northwest, central and south India -- recorded four per cent, 19 percent and 25 percent excess rainfall, respectively. -- PTI
File pic of Dr Maitreyan with former TN CM Jayalalithaa
22:35 V Maitreyan quits BJP, rejoins AIADMK
Former Rajya Sabha MP V Maitreyan, who joined the BJP last year, called on AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami in Chennai on Thursday and rejoined the party.
Maitreyan visited Palaniswami at his residence and appealed to the former chief minister, in a letter, to induct him again into the party and it was accepted, a party release said, adding that the former MP has quit the BJP and he had been admitted again into the AIADMK.
He was expelled from the AIADMK in October 2022 for anti-party activities, which was support to expelled leader and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.
Sixty-eight-year-old Maitreyan was with the BJP during the 1990s and he had contested unsuccessfully from the south Chennai Lok Sabha constituency in the 1996 general polls.
In July 1999, he joined the AIADMK and he was elected to the Rajya Sabha in January 2002 for the first time. He was sent to the upper house twice later (2007-2013 and 2013-2019) by late AIADMK matriarch Jayalalithaa.
His first term ended in June 2004 as he only filled a vacancy following the death of Tamil Maanila Congress founder and veteran Congress leader G K Moopanar in 2001.
In June 2023, he joined the BJP again, after a gap of over 20 years, and he was later made a member of the party's national executive.
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22:08 Mumbai coastal road-BWSL connector inaugurated
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday said the Mumbai coastal road is a game-changer and it will be extended in the future to Bhayander, Virar and Palghar, which would benefit the mega Vadhvan port, the foundation stone of which was recently laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Shinde, along with deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and other cabinet colleagues, inaugurated the coastal road connector after inspecting the stretch that connects the Marine Line-Worli coastal road and the Bandra Worli Sea Link.
During the inspection, Fadnavis drove the car with Shinde seated beside him.
The stretch will opened to the public on Friday.
It can be used from 7am to 11pm, as per the BMC. With the inauguration of the connector, which links the coastal road to the BWSL, motorists can reach Marine Drive in south Mumbai from Bandra in the western part of the metropolis in 10 minutes from the current 45 minutes, Shinde told reporters.
"It will save time and fuel as well as reduce pollution. The coastal road is a gamechanger. It is being extended to Versova and in the future it will be extended to Bhayander, Virar and Palghar. Vadhvan Port, which will be among the top 10 ports in the world, will also be benefitted due to the coastal road (when it is extended till Palghar)," Shinde informed. -- PTI
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose (left) and CM Mamata Banerjee/ANI Photo
22:02 Doc murder: Guv Bose threatens to boycott Mamata
West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Thursday said he will not share any public platform with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in view of people's outcry over the RG Kar hospital impasse.
In a video message, Bose also said he will also socially boycott the chief minister.
"I will not be sharing any public platform with the chief minister. I will take proactive steps against her for violating Constitutional provisions. My role as the Governor will be confined to the Constitutional obligations," Bose said.
"I stand committed to the people of Bengal. I reiterated my commitment to the parents of the victim of RG Kar and also to those who are demonstrating for justice. In my assessment, the government has failed in its duties," he added. -- PTI
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21:37 India successfully flight tests surface-to-air missile
The Defence Research & Development Organisation and the Indian Navy on Thursday successfully flight tested vertical launch short range surface-to-air missile from Chandipur, off Odisha coast, defence officials said in Balasore.
The test was conducted around 3 pm from the integrated test range in Chandipur, they said.
The flight test was carried out from a land-based vertical launcher, aiming at a high-speed aerial target flying at a low altitude.
The missile system successfully tracked and engaged the target, they said. The flight test aimed at validating multiple updated elements of the weapon system, the defence officials said.
The performance of the system was "meticulously tracked and confirmed by various instruments" such as telemetry deployed at ITR Chandipur.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh praised the teams from DRDO and the Indian Navy for their achievement, stating that this test reaffirms the reliability and effectiveness of the VL-SRSAM weapon system.
DRDO chairman Dr Samir V Kamat congratulated the teams and said that the system will significantly enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Navy and serve as a force multiplier. -- PTI
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21:21 Total disengagement in Eastern Ladakh on cards?
India and China on Thursday agreed to work with "urgency" and "redouble" their efforts to realise complete disengagement in remaining friction points in eastern Ladakh as NSA Ajit Doval held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in St Petersburg with a focus on an early resolution of the lingering border standoff.
Doval conveyed to Wang that peace and tranquillity in border areas and respect for the Line of Actual Control are essential for normalcy in bilateral ties, according to the ministry of external affairs.
The Doval-Wang meeting took place in the Russian city on the sidelines of a conclave of national security advisors of the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) nations.
"The meeting gave the two sides an opportunity to review the recent efforts towards finding an early resolution of the remaining issues along the Line of Actual Control, which will create conditions to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations," the MEA said.
"Both sides agreed to work with urgency and redouble their efforts to realize complete disengagement in the remaining areas," it said in a statement. -- PTI
CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury/File image
20:43 RSS condoles Yechury's demise; terms him committed, sensitive leader
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh condoled the demise of Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday and said he was a committed and sensitive political leader.
Yechury passed away at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi following a prolonged illness.
He was 72.
"Very sad to know about the demise of Sitaram Yechury, leader of CPM. We express deep condolences to his party people and family," RSS' Akhil Bharatiya Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar said in a message.
"He was a committed and sensitive political leader. Pray for peace to the departed soul," the RSS functionary wrote on X. -- PTI
20:21 'Powerful champion of secularism': Sonia condoles Yechury's demise
Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Thursday condoled the passing away of CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, saying he was fierce in his determination to protect India's diversity and was a powerful champion of secularism.
Yechury breathed his last at the AIIMS here on Thursday following a prolonged illness. He was 72. Yechury had been in a critical condition for the last few days and was on respiratory support.
"I am very saddened by the passing away of Sitaram Yechuryji. We had worked closely together during 2004-08 to begin with and the friendship that had been established then continued till his very end," said Gandhi in a statement.
"He was uncompromising in his commitment to the values of our country's Constitution embodied so very forcefully in its Preamble. He was fierce in his determination to protect India's diversity and was a powerful champion of secularism," the former Congress chief said.
Yechury was, of course, a life-long communist but that faith was anchored in democratic values, Gandhi said.
Indeed, his twelve-year stint in Parliament was memorable and left his indelible mark, she added.
"He (Yechury) played a pivotal role in UPA-1 and more recently contributed enormously to the emergence of the INDIA group in the run up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He will be sorely missed," Gandhi said. -- PTI
20:12 BJP's Jai Ram Thakur gave Rs 2L for HP mosque: Cong
Himachal Pradesh minister Anirudh Singh on Thursday claimed that former chief minister Jai Ram Thakur gave Rs 2 lakh for construction of a portion of the Sanjauli mosque during his tenure and the BJP was now trying to disturb peace in the state.
Terming it as baseless, Thakur said the Congress minister is telling lies to hide his failure and is changing his statement under the pressure from the Congress high command.
Addressing mediapersons in Shimla along with Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, the rural development and Panchayati Raj minister said the portion of the mosque was constructed during the Covid times when the BJP was in power and even the mayor of Shimla Municipal Corporation was from the party.
He alleged that some people from the BJP and anti-social elements were present in Wednesday's protest held for demolition of the mosque and stones were pelted on the police injuring six of them following which police resorted to mild baton charge.
"This is not a matter of any religion, it is a matter of unauthorised construction and law will take its course but some people are trying to give a political colour to the issue and disturb peace by creating fear among the people which would not be tolerated," he said.
Both Anirudh Singh and Vikramaditya Singh hailed a Muslim welfare committee for coming forward and offering to demolish the unauthorised construction themselves. -- PTI
19:47 Ready to resign: Mamata amid stand-off with docs
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday offered to resign "for the sake of people" and said she also want justice for the murdered RG Kar hospital doctor.
"I apologise to the people of Bengal who expected an end to the RG Kar impasse today. They (junior doctors) came to Nabanna but did not sit for the meeting. I request them to go back to work," Banerjee told a press conference.
"I am ready to resign for the sake of the people as, despite my best intentions and efforts in the last three days, the medics declined to hold talks," the chief minister said.
19:44 India's industrial production output slows to 4.8% in July
India's industrial production output decelerated to 4.8 per cent year-on-year in July 2024, mainly due to poor performance of the manufacturing and mining sectors, as per official data released on Thursday.
The factory output growth, measured in terms of the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), was revised to 4.7 per cent in June from provisional estimates of 4.2 per cent released last month.
The IIP for July 2024 was 4.8 per cent, as per the data.
During the April-July period this fiscal, the IIP growth was 5.2 per cent against 5.1 per cent in the same period of the preceding fiscal.
The IIP grew by 6.2 per cent in July 2023, according to a statement by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation.
As per the data, the mining output growth decelerated to 3.7 per cent in July from 10.7 per cent expansion in the year-ago month.
The manufacturing sector's growth declined to 4.6 per cent in July from 5.3 per cent a year ago.
The power generation increased by 7.9 per cent in July against a growth of 8 per cent in the same month of the last year.
As per use-based classification, the capital goods segment growth accelerated to 12 per cent in July 2024 from 5.1 per cent in the year-ago period. -- PTI
19:04 Mamata, docs yet to meet as stand-off continues
In a dramatic turn of events, agitating junior doctors have refused to join the Bengal government's proposal for talks in presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee so far to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse after the state rejected their demand for live streaming of the meeting.
The protestors who reached the secretariat at around 5.25 pm, some 25 minutes past the scheduled time of commencement of the meeting, stayed put at the venue threshold for over an hour and were seen engaged in meetings even as a high-strung battle of nerves ensued between the two sides with both staying firm on their respective stands.
Senior police officials at the venue, including DGP Rajeev Kumar, ADG (South Bengal) Supratim Sarkar and even state chief secretary Manoj Pant, who were seen engaged in back-to-back discussions with the doctors' delegation and other officials, failed to convince the unrelenting doctors who refused to budge.
All this while, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was reportedly waiting at the venue to take part in the meeting.
"We had conveyed in our letter that live streaming will not be possible but had given our assurances that we would have the whole session recorded for documentation and posterity. The chief minister is waiting for them for the last hour and half. There should be a limit to such demands. We have tried to convince the doctors but they have still not accepted. We request them to consider attending this meeting," said chief secretary Pant. -- PTI
18:44 Leading light of Left: Modi pays tribute to Yechury
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condoled the passing of Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury and said he was a leading light of the Left known for his ability to connect across the political spectrum.
Yechury died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi following prolonged illness. He was 72.
"Saddened by the passing away of Shri Sitaram Yechury ji. He was a leading light of the Left and was known for his ability to connect across the political spectrum," Modi said in a post on X.
"He also made a mark as an effective parliamentarian. My thoughts are with his family and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti," the prime minister said. -- PTI
18:38 Waiting for good friend Modi to visit, Putin tells Doval
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Thursday met Russian President Vladmir Putin amid renewed efforts to find a solution to the Ukraine conflict.
The meeting took place on the margins of a conclave of national security advisors of the BRICS (Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa) nations in St Petersburg.
In the talks, Putin hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Russia's Kazan next month to attend the annual BRICS summit.
The Russian president also proposed a bilateral meeting with Modi on October 22 on the sidelines of the BRICS summit to analyse bilateral engagement and to discuss "future-oriented" actions.
"We are waiting for our good friend Modi and best regards to him," the Russian media quoted Putin as saying in the meeting with Doval.
On Wednesday, the NSA held wide-ranging talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu and discussed important issues of "mutual interests".
It is understood that Modi's talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on August 23 figured in the talks between the two NSAs.
"Both sides reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation and discussed important issues of mutual interest," the Indian embassy in Russia said on the talks between Doval and Shoigu.
Doval's visit to Russia comes two-and-a-half weeks after Modi paid a high-profile trip to Ukrainian capital Kyiv.
18:30 Agitating medics at Bengal secretariat for talks
A group of agitating junior doctors reached the West Bengal state secretariat Nabanna to hold talks in presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse.
Escorted by a pilot police vehicle, the delegation reached the secretariat at around 5.25 pm, some 25 minutes past the scheduled time of commencement of the meeting.
Sticking to their original demand, 30 medics went to Nabanna instead of 15 people as mandated by the state government.
The delegation was seen waiting till 5.45 pm outside Nabanna Sabhaghar, the meeting venue at the secretariat, completing entry formalities for all members of the delegation who were granted access by the government.
Before starting from their sit-in spot outside Swasthya Bhavan, the health department headquarters, the protesters stated they would not settle for anything less than a live stream of the talks, which had earlier been rejected by the state chief secretary in its latest invitation for the meeting.
At the meeting venue, both doctors and senior government officials were separately huddled in meetings, perceptively to decide whether or not to live stream the meeting proceedings.
Till reports last received, no clarity was received on the matter. -- PTI
The Audi that was involved in the accident
18:10 CCTV footage of bar visit by Maha BJP chief's son missing
The CCTV footage of a bar from which Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule's son Sanket and friends had drinks and food before the latter's Audi car crashed into several vehicles in Nagpur on August 9 is missing and the DVR from the eatery has been confiscated as part of the probe, a police official said on Thursday.
Sanket Bawankule's Audi, which was allegedly driven by his friend Arjun Hawre, hit several vehicles in Ramdaspeth in the early hours of Monday, leaving two persons on a moped injured.
Occupants of a Polo car that was hit chased down the Audi at T Point in Mankapur, apprehended Hawre and one Ronit Chittwamwar and handed them over to police.
Hawre was arrested on Monday night and later released on bail (at the local police station).
"The CCTV footage of the time when they were at La Horee Bar (before the crash) is missing. We seized the digital video recorder (DVR) of the eatery on Wednesday and have sent it for forensic analysis," the Sitabuldi police station official said.
The official said the manager of La Horee bar had, on Tuesday, refused to give the CCTV footage and other electronic equipment to a probe team.
"The bar management relented after it was threatened with legal action. However, we realised there is no footage since Sunday night. Further probe into the crash is underway," he added.
Although Sanket was present in the car, he was not at the wheel at the time of the crash, the police had said earlier.
As per the police, Sanket Bawankule had consumed liquor and some chicken and mutton dishes at the bar.
17:26 Despicable: Dhankhar slams Rahul for remarks in US
Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday said there was nothing more condemnable and intolerable than one in constitutional position becoming part of enemies of the nation, in an apparent attack on Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his remarks made in the United States.
Dhankhar's assertion came a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party hit out at Gandhi over his meeting with US lawmaker Ilhan Omar and others during his visit to the country, alleging that the Congress leader is indulging in "dangerous and mischievous" activities by reaching out to people abroad who are known for their anti-india stand.
Addressing participants of the third batch of Rajya Sabha Internship Programme in New Delhi, Dhankhar, also the chairperson of the upper house, said he was pained and disturbed that some people in position have no idea of national interest.
The vice president did not name anyone in his address.
He said, "If we are true Indians, we will never side with the enemies of the nation."
The BJP has attacked Gandhi over his remarks on reservation and religious minorities in India and China.
"I am pained and disturbed that some people in position have just no idea of Bharat. They have no idea of our Constitution, they have no idea of our national interest... I am sure your heart must be bleeding at what you see," the vice president said.
He said people have given supreme sacrifice in getting freedom. "Mothers have lost their sons, wives have lost their husbands. We can't ridicule our nationalism," he said.
Dhankhar said every Indian outside the country has to be an ambassador of the nation. "How painful that one who holds a constitutional position is doing just the reverse of it. Nothing can be more condemnable, despicable and intolerable than that you become part of enemies of the nation," he said.
Dhankhar was of the view that such people do not understand the value of freedom as also that the country has civilisational depth of 5,000 years.
The vice president asserted that the Constitution is sacred and was structured over three years of painstaking work by the founding fathers of the document.
He said the members of the Constituent Assembly met without disruption, disturbance, sloganeering and any posters being raised.
"And now, some people want to divide our nation. This is ignorance in extremity," he said. -- PTI
17:13 Sensex scales Mount 83K, Nifty at lifetime high
Benchmark Sensex hit the historic 83,000 level for the first time on Thursday and the Nifty settled at a lifetime high after a rally in blue-chip shares, surge in global markets and foreign fund inflows.
A sharp fag-end rally drove the 30-share BSE Sensex to the 83,000 level for the first time. The barometer surged 1,593.03 points or 1.95 per cent to hit its lifetime intra-day peak of 83,116.19 in the last hour of trade. The index closed at a record high of 82,962.71, up by 1,439.55 points or 1.77 per cent.
17:11 Sitaram Yechury's body donated to AIIMS
Sitaram Yechury's family has donated his body to AIIMS, New Delhi for teaching and research purposes. Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi today following prolonged illness, hospital and party sources said.
17:08 30-strong team of docs to attend meet with Mamata
Welcoming the Bengal government's positive response to hold talks in presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to resolve the RG Kar hospital impasse, agitating junior doctors Thursday announced their decision to attend the proposed meeting at the state secretariat within the stipulated time of 5 pm.
The medics, however, declared that they would stick to their original demand of taking part in the meeting with 30 members instead of 15 people as mandated by the state government.
The protesters also stated they would not settle for anything less than a live stream of the talks, which had earlier been rejected by the state chief secretary in its latest invitation for the meeting.
"We welcome the chief secretary's invitation and confirmation that the CM would be present at the meeting. We will attend the meeting with an open mind, but it has to be centred around the issue of providing justice to our colleague and ensuring security for doctors across the state," a protesting doctor said.
The junior doctors said they had replied to the state government's email confirming their attendance at the meeting around 3.45 pm. There are doctors from 26 medical colleges in the state who are participating in this protest movement.
"Even if we choose one member from each college, it is not possible to have a delegation of less than 30 people," the medic said and confirmed that they have already arranged a bus for transporting the delegation to the secretariat.
The doctors insisted on having a live stream of the proceedings of the proposed meeting on grounds that they have nothing to hide. Moreover, thousands of junior doctors are simultaneously holding protests in far-flung districts of Bengal.
They should know what is happening at the meeting. If the CM can hold her administrative meetings in districts on live TV and if Supreme Court proceedings can be telecast live, we see no reason why the same can't happen here, the doctor said.
17:03 Zomato shares jump over 4 pc; hit record highs
Shares of online food delivery platform Zomato Ltd surged over 4 per cent to hit the record high level on Thursday. The stock jumped 4.49 per cent to settle at Rs 283.90 on the BSE.
During the day, it soared 5.24 per cent to hit a record high of Rs 285.95. At the NSE, it surged 4.25 per cent to Rs 283.30. The company's market valuation went up by Rs 10,978.72 crore to Rs 2,50,807.91 crore. In traded volume terms, 43.80 lakh shares of the firm were traded at the BSE and 1,016.92 lakh shares traded at the NSE during the day. The stock has been surging since September 4, rallying 16.87 per cent. Shares of the firm have soared 129.50 per cent so far this
Malaika, Anil, Joyce, Arhaan, Amrita
16:30 Malaika's dad's autopsy reveals multiple fractures
Bollywood actress Malaika Arora's father, Anil Mehta, died by suicide on Wednesday, police said. The post-mortem report has revealed that Mehta died from multiple fractures sustained during a fatal fall from his residence's sixth-floor balcony, reports NDTV.
According to Mumbai Police, the incident occurred around 9 am on Wednesday morning at "Ayesha Manor" in the upscale Almeida Park area of Bandra.
Mehta, 65, allegedly jumped from the building's balcony, which resulted in severe fractures to his right leg and other parts of his body.
He was rushed to the hospital, but declared dead upon arrival.
Before taking the drastic step, he had made a final phone call to his daughters, Malaika and Amrita Arora. During this call, he reportedly told them, "I am sick and tired," before abruptly hanging up and switching off his phone.
Pic courtesy: @RahulGandhi
16:19 Rahul Gandhi condoles Sitaram Yechury's death
Rahul Gandhi tweets, "Sitaram Yechury ji was a friend. A protector of the Idea of India with a deep understanding of our country. I will miss the long discussions we used to have. My sincere condolences to his family, friends, and followers in this hour of grief."
16:13 Sitaram Yechury dies at 72, had acute respiratory infection
Update: CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi on Thursday following prolonged illness, hospital and party sources said. He was 72.
Yechury had been in a critical condition for the last few days and was on respiratory support. According to the sources, the veteran leader died at 3.05 pm.
The CPI(M) had said in a statement on Tuesday that the 72-year-old leader was being treated for an acute respiratory tract infection at the ICU in AIIMS, Delhi. Yechury was admitted to the hospital on August 19 for treatment of a pneumonia-like chest infection. PTI
16:03 CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury dies
Veteran CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury dies at 72 after prolonged illness: Party and hospital sources. Yechury had been critical and was on respiratory support at All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.
Police comb a Naxal stronghold in Maharashtra. File pic
15:52 Naxals hang 2 men for being police informers
Naxalites hanged two men to death in a remote village in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, accusing them of being police informers, police said. The police have received information about the incident and details about it are being collected, a senior police official said.
"As per the preliminary information, Naxalites had abducted three villagers, including a school student, from Jappemarka village under Mirtur police station limits on Tuesday," he said.
"The Naxalites later hanged two of them to death from a tree by holding a 'jan adalat' (kangaroo court), but released the school student," he said.
The deceased were identified as Madvi Suja and Podiam Kosa, he said. Maoists' Bhairamgarh area committee has claimed responsibility for the murder.
It also claimed that the duo were acting as police informers, he said. Soon after being alerted about the incident on Thursday, a police team was sent to the spot and further details about the incident are being collected, he said. PTI
15:17 This replica of the Sanchi Stupa is in ...
So, the answer to the question we asked you in our 11:14 am post is: Germany. Foreign minister Dr S Jaishankar had shared a couple of pictures from Berlin. He wrote, "The replica of the East Gate of the Sanchi Stupa stands outside the Humboldt Forum. A representation of India's rich heritage in the heart of Berlin!"
15:00 Rahul slams BJP over Army officers' incident in MP
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP over the attack on two Army officers and rape of one of their two women friends in Madhya Pradesh, alleging that law and order in states ruled by the party is almost "non existent".
The former Congress chief said the negative attitude of the BJP government towards increasing crimes against women is "extremely worrying". Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also lashed out at the BJP, saying the prime minister talks big about women's safety, but women across the country are still waiting for a serious effort for their safety.
In a post on X in Hindi, Rahul Gandhi said the violence against two army soldiers and the rape of their female companion in Madhya Pradesh is enough to shame the entire society.
"Law and order in BJP ruled states is almost non existent - and, the negative attitude of BJP government towards the increasing crimes against women is extremely worrying," he said.
This audacity of the criminals is a result of the total failure of the administration and the unsafe environment prevailing in the country due to this which is a restriction on the freedom and aspirations of the daughters of India, Gandhi said.
"Both the society and the government should be ashamed and think seriously how long will they turn a blind eye to the responsibility of protecting half the population of the country!" he said.
In her post in Hindi on X, Priyanka Gandhi said the incidents of gang rape of a woman after holding army officers hostage in Madhya Pradesh and finding of the naked body of a woman on the highway in Uttar Pradesh are "heart-wrenching". Every day 86 women are becoming victims of rape and brutality in the country, she said. "From home to outside, from road to office, women are not safe anywhere. Half of the country's population is not only unsafe, but due to such brutality, the morale of crores of women is broken every day," Priyanka Gandhi said.
"The prime minister talks big about women's safety, but women across the country are still waiting for a serious effort for their safety. When will this wait end?" she said.
A group of men attacked two young Army officers and their two women friends and also raped one of them when they were out on a picnic in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district in Wednesday, police said. Badgonda police station in-charge Lokendra Singh Hirore said the officers, aged 23 and 24, undergoing Young Officers (YO) course at the Infantry School in Mhow cantonment town, had gone out for a picnic on Tuesday along with two female friends.
At about 2 am on Wednesday, seven unidentified men arrived near the picnic spot on Mhow-Mandleshwar road and started beating up one of the officers sitting in a car and also the women, he said. The second officer, who was away from the car, managed to inform his seniors about the incident, after which police reached the spot, Hirore said.
Looking at the police, the men fled the spot. All four victims were brought to Mhow Civil Hospital for medical examination at about 6.30 am and as per doctors, there were signs of injuries on the officers' bodies, he informed. Hirore said in the medical examination, it was found that the men had raped one of the women.
The banner produced Hum Aapke Hain Koun among other blockbusters
14:54 Got a call from Rajshri Productions? Read this
Rajshri Productions on Thursday issued a statement warning aspiring actors against false casting calls on behalf of the production house.
The production banner, known for films such as "Nadiya Ke Paar", "Maine Pyar Kiya", "Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!" as well as TV shows "Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki" and "Yahan Main Ghar Ghar Kheli", said it has not hired any casting agents for their TV or OTT projects.
"We wish to inform you that there are individuals falsely claiming to be casting directors for Rajshri Productions (P) Ltd TV & OTT Wings.
"Please be aware that Rakhi Luthra and Valentyna Chopraa are the only authorized casting directors for Rajshri Productions (P) Ltd TV & OTT Wings," Rajshri Productions said in a statement shared on its official Instagram page.
Rajshri Productions has never demanded, nor will ever demand, any money from artists, it added. "Any such requests for payment should be considered fraudulent. It should be noted that any person engaging with unauthorized individuals or sources shall be doing so at their own risk. Rajshri Productions (P) Ltd shall not be held responsible for any transactions or interactions with such individuals."
The banner asked people to follow their official Instagram account @rajshriproductionscasting for all official information related to casting for TV and OTT projects. "Thank you for your attention and vigilance," it said. PTI
Representational image
14:19 Indian-origin Israeli soldier killed in West Bank
A 24-year-old Indian-origin Israeli soldier from the Bnei Menashe community was killed in a vehicle-ramming attack close to the West Bank's Beit El settlement, community members said on Thursday. Staff Sergeant Geri Gideon Hanghal was a resident of Nof HaGalil and a soldier in the Kfir Brigade's Nahshon Battalion, the Israeli Army said.
Community members told PTI that they were "in shock at the news of the loss of a young life" on Wednesday near Asaf Junction. Footage from the scene of the attack showed a truck with a Palestinian licence plate veering off a busy highway and barrel full speed into an Israel Defence Forces (IDF) guard post adjacent to a bus stop before coming to a halt.
The suspect was named by Israeli security sources as 58-year-old Hayil Dhaifallah, from the central West Bank town of Rafat. Sergeant Hanghal's funeral will be held on Thursday, they said.
Hanghal immigrated to Israel from the northeastern part of India in 2020. Some 300 Bnei Menashe youngsters are said to be doing Army duty during the current war, most of them serving in combat units.
The Bnei Menashe, hailing from India's north-eastern states of Manipur and Mizoram, are believed to have descended from the Israelite tribe of Menasseh, one of the lost tribes of ancient times.
Shlomo Amar, Sephardic Chief Rabbi, declared them descendants of Menasseh in 2005 paving the path for their immigration to Israel as members of a "lost tribe". Some 5,000 members of the Bnei Menashe community are said to have immigrated to Israel, including almost 1,500 in the past five years. Another 5,500 still live in India and are waiting to immigrate.
Nof HaGalil Mayor Ronen Plot was quoted by Ynetnews as saying, "The city of Nof HaGalil mourns and grieves the loss of Staff Sgt. Hanghal. Gideon was a member of the Bnei Menashe community, which is very dear to my heartgood, humble and patriotic people." The attack follows a series of attempted suicide bombings and shooting incidents emanating from the West Bank and claimed by Islamic Hamas.
14:06 'Madrassas unsuitable to receive proper education'
Madrassas are "unsuitable" places for children to receive "proper education" and the education imparted there is "not comprehensive" and is against the provisions of the Right to Education Act, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has told the Supreme Court.
The child rights body told the top court that children, who are not in formal schooling system, are deprived of their fundamental right to elementary education, including entitlements such as midday meal, uniform etc.
The NCPCR said madrassas merely teaching from a few NCERT books in the curriculum is a "mere guise" in the name of imparting education and does not ensure that the children are receiving formal and quality education.
"A madrassa is not only a unsuitable/unfit place to receive 'proper' education but also in absence of entitlements as provided under Sections 19, 21,22, 23, 24, 25, and 29 of the RTE Act," it said.
"Further, madrassas do not only render an unsatisfactory and insufficient model for education but also have an arbitrary mode of working which is wholly in absence of a standardised curriculum and functioning," the NCPCR said in its written submissions filed before the top court.
13:20 Take a deep breath: BJP tells Oppn on PM@CJI puja
With a row erupting over Prime Minister Narendra Modi attending the Ganpati Puja celebrations at Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud's residence, the BJP and it's ally hit out at the opposition parties, calling their reactions "reckless" and said casting "baseless aspersions" on the highest court sets a dangerous precedent.
Prime Minister Modi on Wednesday participated in the Ganpati Puja at the CJI's residence here. In a video, Chandrachud and his wife Kalpana Das were seen welcoming Modi at their house.
Several opposition leaders and some lawyers of the Supreme Court reacted sharply to Modi attending the puja at the CJI's residence.
"Ganpati Utsav is being celebrated and people visit each other's house... I don't have information whether the prime minister has visited anyone's house," Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said. Ganpati Utsav is being celebrated at several locations in Delhi and at Maharashtra Sadan, he said. "However, the prime minister visited the CJI's residence. They performed 'aarti' together. We think that people will have doubts if guardians of the Constitution meet political leaders," Raut added.
In a post on X, senior lawyer Indira Jaising said the Chief Justice of India has compromised the separation of powers between the executive and the judiciary. "Lost all confidence in the independence of the CJI. The SCBA (Supreme Court Bar Association) must condemn this publicly displayed compromise of Independence of the CJI from the executive," she said in her post.
Hitting back, BJP national general secretary (Organisation) BL Santhosh said though left liberals have started crying over the prime minister attending the event at the CJI's residence, "it was not socialising but a devoted Ganapathi Pooja".
"Started crying! Civility, cordiality, togetherness, co-travellers in nations journey are all an anathema to these left liberals. Also it was not socialising but a devoted Ganapathi Pooja is very hard to digest. SCBA is not a moral compass. Take deep breath once," Santhosh said in a post on X reacting to Jaising's comments.
In another post, the BJP leader wrote, "Yesterday's Pooja and Aarti spoiled the sleep, morning walk and tea-breakfast of many people across the country."
12:58 Ajmer Sharif dargah to make 4000 kg langar for...
Ajmer Sharif Dargah will prepare and distribute 4000 kg of vegetarian "Langar" food to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 74th birthday on September 17.
"In celebration of the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and in conjunction with "Sewa Pakhwada," the historic and world-famous "Big Shahi Deg" at Ajmer Dargah Sharif will once again be used to prepare and distribute 4000 kg of vegetarian "Langar" food, continuing a tradition that has been upheld for over 550 years," an official statement from the Dargah authorities said.
Gaddi Nashin-Dargah Ajmer Sharif, Syed Afshan Chishty, speaking to ANI on Wednesday, said that the vegetarian food will be distributed to the people.
"On the occasion of his (PM Modi's) birthday, seva programmes will be organised at religious places in the country...On the occasion of his birthday Prime Minister, we will prepare 4,000 kg of vegetarian food, which will include rice and pure ghee, dry fruits and distribute it. Along with this, the Gurus and poor people around us will also be given langar as a service," he told ANI on Wednesday.
"We will also pray for the long life of PM Modi on his birthday. The entire langar is being organised by the Indian Minority Foundation and Chishty Foundation of Ajmer Sharif," Syed Afshan Chishty added.
The entire process, from lighting the "deg" to food distribution, is conducted with utmost devotion and care, serving thousands of devotees and seekers who come to pay their respects.
The ceremony will begin with the lighting of the "Big Shahi Deg" at 10:30 pm inside the Dargah of Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Chishty . Special prayers (Dua) will be offered for peace, unity, prosperity, and the well-being of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per the release.
12:33 SC verdict on Arvind Kejriwal's bail tomorrow
Supreme Court to deliver verdict tomorrow in plea by jailed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seeking bail and quashing of arrest by CBI in connection with Excise Policy case.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, which reserved judgment on September 5, will pronounce the judgment.
12:06 Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia hospitalised
Former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia was admitted to a private hospital in the early hours of Thursday, according to a media report.
The 79-year-old Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson arrived at the Evercare Hospital from her Gulshan residence around 1:40 am, BNP media cell member Sayrul Kabir Khan was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune newspaper.
Her physician, Professor AZM Zahid Hossain, said the medical board has recommended several tests and she has been placed in a private cabin following her admission to the hospital. The next course of her treatment will be determined after reviewing the test results, he said.
On August 21, Zia had returned home after 45 days treatment at the same hospital. The former prime minister, who was under house arrest for the past five years, was freed by an order of Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin on August 6. She was acquitted of all charges against her following the fall of the Awami League government led by her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina on August 5.
The BNP chief has long been battling various ailments, including liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and issues related to the kidney, lung, heart and eyes. A pacemaker was successfully installed in her chest on June 23 by a group of specialist doctors. Her doctors have been recommending sending her abroad since she was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis in November 2021.
Earlier this month, Zia was acquitted in five separate cases, including one filed over allegations of celebrating a fake birthday and another for supporting war criminals. Zia served as the prime minister of Bangladesh from March 1991 to March 1996, and again from June 2001 to October 2006.
11:42 When verdicts favour them... Deora on PM's visit to CJI home
Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora on the PM's visit to the CJI which has upset the Opposition parties.
"It's unfortunate to see reckless commentary on the Prime Ministers visit to the Chief Justice of Indias (CJI) residence for Ganapati Aarti. When verdicts favour them, the opposition praises the Supreme Courts credibility, but when things don't go their way, they conveniently claim the judiciary is compromised.
"Casting such baseless aspersions on the highest court sets a dangerous precedent. This reckless attempt to undermine the credibility of the CJI by the opposition is not only irresponsible but also damaging to the institutions integrity.
"Indias politics is taking an ugly turn. The era of arbitrary judicial appointments is long gone & the incumbent CJI has served his office with immense integrity. Those seeking to tarnish his legacy & credibility are showing poor judgment & acting against the nations best interests."
11:35 Be cautious about AI: CEA
Artificial intelligence (AI) can both augment and displace labour, and there is a need to choose the right balance between the two. The onus is as much on the government as on the private sector to consider the medium-term consequences of AI, Chief Economic Advisor Dr V Anantha Nageswaran said on Wednesday.
"If we have to avoid the social consequences of capital-intensive or technology-intensive growth' we need a greater compact between the private sector, government, and the public so that we can enjoy the demographic dividend and achieve our dreams of becoming a developed nation by 2047 while maintaining both social and economic stability," Dr Nageswaran said while addressing an event by the All India Management Association, highlighting the importance of finding the right balance between capital and labour.
The CEA said that labour should be treated as a resource and asset since it involves humans with emotions. Viewing capital and labour purely from the economic framework of scarcity versus surplus is the wrong approach, the CEA said. He cited the example of how treating labour as a commodity has led to the erosion of small towns and cities in the developed world.
Stressing that female labour force participation in urban India hasn't returned to pre-Covid levels, the CEA said that post-pandemic, the Indian industry has increasingly adopted flexible labour arrangements, leading to lower wages and benefits.
"From 2019-2020 to 2022-2023, corporate profits increased fourfold," he highlighted.
However, noting some positive developments, Dr Nageswaran said that the number of firms with more than 100 workers has grown faster than the number of firms with fewer than 100 workers.
"There is a need for the creation of jobs with protection, regular salary payments through banking channels, and post-employment retirement benefits and health insurance," the CEA added.
Since it is not known what the looming presence of AI will do to services sector employment, Dr Nageswaran said one should not or cannot abandon the agriculture sector itself as a source of employment generation.
Ruchika Chitravanshi, Shiv Rajora/Business Standard
Malaika and Amrita with their father, Anil
11:18 Before his death, Malaika's dad said he was tired
More details have also emerged about Malaika Arora's father's death.
According to a report by NDTV, Malaika and Amrita's father Anil Mehta, 65, had called both the girls before allegedly jumping off the balcony of his sixth-floor residence in Bandra's Ayesha Manor and said, "I'm tired". The police have said Mehta died by suicide.
Releasing a statement yesterday on the death of her father, Anil Mehta, Malaika Arora has said that the family is in deep shock.
In a statement posted by Malaika Arora on Instagram, the family said, "We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our dear father, Anil Mehta. He was a gentle soul, a devoted grandfather, a loving husband, and our best friend. Our family is in deep shock by this loss, and we kindly request privacy from the media and well-wishers during this difficult time. We appreciate your understanding, support, and respect."
11:14 A little bit of India...
EAM Dr S Jaishankar shares this image of a replica of the East Gate of the Sanchi Stupa. Where is it?
10:36 Will CJI be impartial, Raut asks after PM's visit
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has raised his concerns about the impartiality of Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud following PM Modi's visit to the CJI's house for Ganpati Puja. Raut, through his statements, tried to cast doubt on the Chief Justice's ability to deliver a fair judgement in the ongoing Maharashtra case, where Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sunil Prabhu has challenged the ruling of Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.
The ruling held that the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction is the 'real' Shiv Sena. During the Ganpati festival, Prime Minister Modi visited the Chief Justice's residence, where they jointly performed an Aarti.
Raut questioned this interaction and said, "Look, it is Ganpati festival. How many people's houses has the Prime Minister visited so far? I don't have the information. Ganesh festival is celebrated in many places in Delhi, but the Prime Minister went to the Chief Justice's house, and the Prime Minister and the Chief Justice together performed the Aarti."
Raut's claims his concerns arise from the fact that the Maharashtra case, involving allegations against the current state government, is under Chief Justice Chandrachud's review.
He said, "Our knowledge of God is such that if the custodians of the Constitution meet political leaders in this manner, then people have doubts."
He further argued that the Prime Minister, who is a party in the case, should not have such close interactions with the Chief Justice. According to Raut, the Chief Justice should recuse himself from the case as his 'relations' with the head of the central government are 'openly visible'.
10:12 RG Kar: Kolkata doc strike will continue till...
Junior doctors on Thursday continued their sit-in outside the West Bengal Health Department's office as well as their 'cease work' over the alleged rape and murder of a young medic at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The agitating doctors have been demonstrating outside Swathya Bhavan', the state health department headquarters, for over 40 hours. The government had Wednesday rejected their demands for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's presence and a live broadcast as preconditions for talks to resolve the impasse.
A large number of police personnel have been deployed in and around Swathya Bhavan' at Salt Lake, and traffic movement was regulated.
"We will continue our agitation and cease work. But, we did not want to continue this. The state government is not open to holding any meeting with us. And, we want to make it clear that there is no politics behind our stir," one of the protesting doctors told PTI.
Meanwhile, healthcare services at state-run hospitals remained crippled on Thursday, as the cease work' by the junior doctors entered the 34th day. Minister of State for Health Chandrima Bhattacharya had on Wednesday said the government remains open to discussions, but suggested that "political forces" might be influencing the protests.
This led to a quick rebuttal from the medics, who dismissed the claims as baseless, and asserted that the protests would continue till their demands were met. The state government had invited the agitating doctors to a meeting at state secretariat Nabanna at 6 pm on Wednesday, but the invitation did not confirm whether Banerjee would attend it.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant, in an email, had urged the doctors to send a delegation of 12 to 15 members and stressed the importance of resuming work, citing a Supreme Court order directing them to return to duty by 5 pm on Tuesday. Despite the invitation, the junior doctors insisted on several preconditions before agreeing to the meeting.
"We want the discussion to be held in the presence of the CM and be telecast live. We want at least 30 representatives, as this movement is spread across various medical colleges and hospitals," a member of the junior doctors' forum had said at a press conference on Wednesday. The protests began after the body of the postgraduate trainee was found with severe injury marks at RG Kar hospital on August 9. The CBI is conducting a probe upon directions of the Calcutta High Court.
The junior doctors have since been demanding justice for the woman doctor, along with enhanced security measures for women health professionals, besides the suspension of several officials, including the Kolkata Police Commissioner and the state health secretary, for alleged mishandling of the case. PTI
09:56 'Extremely heavy rain' warning in Delhi, UP, U'khand
A depression that originated over central India is expected to bring heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand, Delhi, parts of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh over the next two to three days, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.
According to the latest IMD update issued at 8:50 am, the system was located near Gwalior, around 50 kilometres north of the city and 60 kilometres south-southeast of Agra.
It is expected to continue moving towards the north-northeast direction over the next 24 hours. The IMD said Uttarakhand is likely to experience light to moderate rainfall from September 12 to 14, with heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in isolated areas.
Haryana and Delhi are expected to see light to moderate rain, with heavy rainfall at times between September 12 and 15. East and west Uttar Pradesh may experience heavy to extremely heavy rainfall during this period.
In Madhya Pradesh, heavy rainfall is expected on September 12, followed by moderate to heavy rain over the next few days. West Rajasthan could experience heavy rainfall on September 12, and east Rajasthan may receive heavy to very heavy rainfall on September 12 and 13.
Rainfall measuring between 64.5 mm and 115.5 mm is considered "heavy", between 115.6 mm and 204.4 mm "very heavy", and above 204.5 mm "extremely heavy". Winds gusting up to 55 kmph are predicted for parts of north Madhya Pradesh, west Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi over the next 24 hours.
The weather department warned of moderate to high risk of flash floods in several areas, particularly in parts of west Uttar Pradesh, east and west Madhya Pradesh.
09:52 When you have His blessings...
Badminton player Lakshya Sen shares this image with the Raja. "Immersed in the joy and colors of Ganpati at Lalbaugcha Raja! Here's to good vibes and even better blessings #ganpatibappamorya #LalbaugchaRaja."
09:49 Why did PM visit CJI at his home?
Narendra Modi shares this picture from yesterday. "Joined Ganesh Puja at the residence of CJI, Justice DY Chandrachud Ji. May Bhagwan Shri Ganesh bless us all with happiness, prosperity and wonderful health."
Supreme Court lawyer Indira Jaising retweeted an image of the PM being greeted by the CJI and his wife saying, "Chief Justice of India has compromised the separation of powers between the Executive and Judiciary. Lost all confidence in the independence of the CJI. The SCBA must condemn this publicly displayed compromise of Independence of the CJI from the Executive @KapilSibal."
09:39 46 held in Ganpati visarjan violence in Karnataka
A day after violent clashes broke out between two groups during a Ganesh idol procession in Nagamangala town in Karnataka, 46 people were arrested in connection with the incident, police said on Thursday.
Tension prevailed in the town on Wednesday night with a few people, including two policemen sustaining minor injuries in stone pelting.
However, the situation has been brought under control and additional security forces have been deployed, they said. Prohibitory orders preventing the assembly of more than four people have been imposed in the area till September 14.
"So, we have arrested 46 people in connection with Wednesday's incident. The situation has now returned to normalcy. People are going about their day-to-day activities. Shops are open. We have deployed additional force from Karnataka State Reserve Police along with other police officials including those in civil clothes," Mandya Superintendent of Police Mallikarjun Baldandi told PTI.
A case has been registered for unlawful assembly, attempt to murder, obstructing public servants, destruction of public property and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. According to police, an argument broke out between two groups, when the Ganesha idol procession by devotees from Badarikoppalu village reached a place of worship on Wednesday, and some miscreants hurled stones, which escalated the situation.
Following the clashes between the two groups, a few shops were vandalised and vehicles set on fire, they added. Police used mild force to disperse the crowd and manage the situation. The group of youth that carried out the procession halted and staged a protest near the police station, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible for the violence. PTI
09:28 25,000 villages to get Internet by mid-2025
As many as 25,000 villages without telecom and mobile Internet will be connected by mid-2025 to ensure full "saturation" in the country, Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Wednesday.
State-run BSNL will roll out its 4G network with 100,000 telecom towers by the middle of next year.
A total of 450,000 towers have been erected nationwide but some villages remain unconnected, said Scindia at the 51st national management convention of the All India Management Association."We have committed to putting up close to 20,000 towers and committed Rs 45,000 crore (Rs 450 billion) towards that initiative by mid-2025," he said.
North East India has the most number of unconnected villages (6,000 approximately). The telecom department has managed to connect about half of such villages, said Scindia, who is also in charge of the ministry for the development of the North Eastern region.
Connection expansion, indigenous telecom production and new technologies are the three broad targets set by the government, he said.
India, Scindia said, produces mobile phones as part of the Bharat 6G Alliance and the government has targeted that the country should hold 10 per cent of international patents in the sector.
India has struggled to meet earlier deadlines for telecom connectivity.
In July 2019, Ravi Shankar Prasad, who was the telecom minister then, asked companies to connect within a year all 43,000 villages without basic telephony services.
In April 2023, then minister of state for telecom Devusinh Chauhan had said more than 38,000 villages without 4G connection would be covered by 2024.Villages in remote and difficult areas were to be connected by BSNL's 4G network rollout. However, BSNL's plans to launch 4G service years after the three private telecom service providers -- Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea -- have been delayed repeatedly.
-- Subhayan Chakraborty/Business Standard
09:25 STF detains Assamese actress, husband in stock trading scam
Assamese actress, choreographer and social media influencer Sumi Bora and her husband Tarkik Bora, who were wanted in connection with the multi-crore online stock trading scam, detained by the Special Task Force (STF) on Thursday, a senior police officer said.
The STF detained the two in Dibrugarh, the officer told PTI. A lookout notice was issued against the couple and four others after they failed to appear before the police following a notice issued to them in the wake of the arrest of the prime accused, 22-year-old Bishal Phukan in the case.
The actress in a video message to a few local television channels had claimed that she would 'surrender and fully cooperate with the police'. Phukan, who owned the company that allegedly duped investors, was arrested along with his manager in Dibrugarh last week.
The probe was taken over by the CID and an SIT was formed. The DGP posted a photograph of the husband and wife with their faces masked with the remark 'The game is up for them. Compliments to the Team STF''. He, however, did not mention their names. PTI
The fifth wolf was caught earlier this month
09:19 6th 'killer' wolf grabs woman by throat in Bahraich
As the authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich continued their search for a sixth 'killer' wolf, a 50-year-old named Pushpa Devi was attacked and severely injured after the wolf attacked her on Wednesday night.
The incident happened at Raipur Korean Tepra village of Khairighat police station area of Bahraich at around 10 pm when the victim was sleeping. The wolf grabbed her by the throat. She was taken to a local hospital but due to the severity of her injuries, she was referred to Bahraich District Hospital, where she is currently undergoing treatment.
Speaking about the incident, her son-in-law said, "The incident took place at 10 pm when she was sleeping. One of the children might have opened the door and it (wolf) was hiding somewhere. It came and grabbed her by the throat. The family members heard her cry and ran towards her to find out. The people in the neighbourhood also gathered and then it (wolf) ran away... I was not present there."
The incident has further heightened fear among locals in the region. Earlier on Wednesday, an 11-year-old girl was injured after a wolf attacked her. As per the information, she has been admitted to the local government hospital in the Mahasi for treatment.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh Forest Department captured the fifth 'killer' wolf, while one remains elusive. The wolves had been behind several attacks on villagers in Bahraich. The Uttar Pradesh Forest Department took the wolf to a rescue shelter.
The Uttar Pradesh Forest Department had initiated "Operation Bhediya" to apprehend a pack of wolves responsible for recent attacks in 25-30 villages under Mahsi tehsil in the Bahraich range of Bahraich Forest Division.
The Forest Department in Bahraich had installed snap cameras at most of the probable habitats of wolves in the area to monitor any movement by them which would also help the forest department to learn about the movement of the wolves in order to catch them.
Three snap cameras have also been installed in Sikandarpur village around six caves, which local villagers claim to be the habitat of the wolves. 9 people have been killed and more than 40 people have been injured until now due to the attacks by the man-eater wolves in various villages of Bahraich. -- ANI
08:37 CDSCO says no to Entod's No Chashma eye drops
Sanket Koul/Business Standard
The Central Drug Standards Control Organisation on Wednesday suspended permission granted to Mumbai-based Entod Pharmaceuticals to manufacture and sell an eye drop after taking exception to the firm's claim that it can help eliminate dependency on reading glasses for those suffering from presbyopia.
According to sources, health ministry officials took this matter seriously due to concerns over misuse of the product.
Last week, Entod launched its PresVu eye drop made using Pilocarpine, an alkaloid used to treat various ophthalmological conditions including presbyopia. Presbyopia is an age-related sight condition that makes it difficult to see things up close.
In his order dated September 10, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Rajeev Raghuvanshi said that the company had made claims for the drug product for which it had not obtained approval from the central licensing authority, thereby violating provisions under the New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules, 2019.
"The unauthorised promotion in press and over social media had raised doubt on its unsafe use by patients and safety concern for the public. The promotion had raised concern about its use like over the counter drugs whereas it is approved as a prescription only drug," an official source said.
Denying charges of unethical or false presentation of facts, Nikkhil Masurkar, CEO, Entod Pharma, announced that the company will challenge the suspension in court to get justice.
'All facts disclosed to the media are strictly on the basis of the recent DCGI approval for treatment of presbyopia in adults and the results of the phase 3 clinical trial conducted by us in India,' the company added.
08:34 Bajaj Housing Finance IPO investors face technical hurdles
Amid the overwhelming response to the Bajaj Housing Finance IPO, technical glitches prevented some investors from applying. Investors expressed discontent with stock brokers and UPI payment platforms on social media.
Users of prominent brokerages like Groww, Zerodha, and AngelOne cited delayed UPI mandates. To apply for IPOs through stock broking apps, investors must approve the UPI mandate on their payment app.
Zerodha reported an average delay of two hours in generating the mandate, attributing the issue to the sponsor banks of the IPO.
According to Mohit Mehra, VP of Primary Markets and Payments at Zerodha, "The surge in IPO applications over the past few days led to a delay in receiving UPI mandates, averaging around 2 hours after application submission. Although Zerodha submitted applications instantly to the exchange, the sponsor banks responsible for sending UPI mandates experienced a backlog, causing the delay."
The total retail applications for the IPO exceeded 8.8 million, highest-ever for a domestic IPO.
In the past, similar glitches have been witnessed for IPOs that have seen frenzied bidding.
Non-bank backed brokerages have to use the UPI payment facility for IPOs, while bank-backed brokerages have the option to apply directly through their bank. No glitches were reported for applications made using this medium.
In December 2023, market regulator Sebi had halved the timeline for listing of IPOs from six days (T+6) to just three days (T+3). In other words, IPOs now list after three working days from the issue closing date. -- Business Standard
08:33 More voices of dissent emerge withing Haryana BJP
Amid deepening schisms within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Haryana over poll ticket distribution, party leader Karan Dev Kamboj on Wednesday indicated that the rebellion could have been prevented if Chief Minister Nayab Saini had a 'say' on the allocation process.
Meanwhile, senior party leader from south Haryana, Ram Bilas Sharma filed his nomination papers from Mahendragarh, hours before the BJP denied him ticket.
Sharma, a former minister, filed his papers during the day even as the party had at that time not yet declared the name of its candidate for the seat.
Before Sharma filed his papers, Union minister and Gurugram MP Rao Inderjit Singh came out in his support and said the man who had given his all for the party deserved a ticket. BJP's Bhiwani-Mahendragarh MP, Dharambir Singh, was also present with Rao when he addressed a gathering in Mahendragarh in which Sharma was also present.
On Wednesday night, the BJP released names of candidates for remaining three seats including Mahendragarh.
According to the party list, it fielded Kanwar Singh Yadav from Mahendragarh.
A prominent Brahmin face of the party, Ram Bilas Sharma was also a minister in the Khattar government between 2014-2019. However, he lost the 2019 assembly polls.
Sharma was also the BJP's Haryana unit president. -- PTI
File image
01:29 Security forces recover arms, ammunition from forest in Kupwara
Security forces on Wednesday recovered a cache of arms and ammunition from a forest area in the Keran sector along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.
Based on specific intelligence inputs, a joint operation by the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police was launched in Keran Sector, Kupwara, the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of the Indian Army posted on X.
Searches in the indicated area have led to the recovery of a very large cache of arms ammunition and explosives including AK 47 rounds, hand grenades, RPG rounds, material for Improvised Explosive Devices and other war-like stores, it said.
The army said the recovery is significant considering the prevailing security situation and upcoming events. It is a shot in the arm for the security forces, the army added. -- PTI
A view of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata/ANI Photo
00:41 CBI quizzes medic murder accused, 4 docs, 2 cops
Central Bureau of Investigation officers on Wednesday conducted another round of questioning of arrested accused Sanjoy Roy in the RG Kar hospital case, officials said.
The interrogation, being carried out at the Presidency Correctional Home, is part of their ongoing investigation into the rape-murder of a woman medic who was on duty at the state-run hospital.
In addition, another team from the central probe agency interrogated four junior doctors in the morning, and later, Kolkata police deputy commissioner (North) Abhishek Gupta and the deputy commissioner of the Detective Department special, Vidit Raj Bhundesh, were questioned as part of the same investigation.
"We questioned the police officers on how they conducted the probe," an officer said.
The case came to light on August 9, when the body of the woman postgraduate trainee doctor was found in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The following day, a Kolkata police civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime. -- PTI
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