LIVE

Sun, 15 September 2024

Protesters using advanced weapons: Manipur cops

Timeline Refresh

21:07 Protesters using sophisticated weapons: Manipur cops

The Manipur Police on Sunday expressed concern over the use of sophisticated weapons to target security personnel during protests and urged demonstrators to refrain from employing such means to make their point.

Addressing reporters, DIG (Range 1) N Herojit Singh said, "We want to remind the public that the police department's duty is to maintain law and order and to respond to armed attacks by miscreants. We have sustained multiple casualties during these challenging times."

Highlighting the shift in protest tactics, the DIG said, "In recent agitations, traditional forms of protests have been replaced with lethal methods targeting security forces. Demonstrators have engaged in stone pelting, shooting iron pieces from slingshots, firing tear gas shells, and using automatic firearms."

"We have evidence of automatic weapons being fired during protests. At Khabeisoi, firing from automatic weapons injured an officer in-charge of Imphal East Commando and another personnel recently. In Kakwa, Imphal West district, firing from automatic weapons left marks on our vehicles," he claimed.

Requesting for restraint, Singh emphasised, "We want to say that police forces use maximum restraint when dealing with protesters. Although there has been no retaliation from police in response to automatic weapon fire, we have reports of protesters getting injured when we use minimal, non-lethal anti-riot measures."

On the issue of non-local agitators, the DIG said, "During protests, we have detained people from outside the localities. We urge people to use democratic and non-violent methods for their demands. Entering highly sensitive areas and destroying public property will be met with strong measures. Police are part of the community and not the enemy. Protests aimed primarily at targeting and attacking the police should cease immediately."

Singh also advised against live coverage of protests, which can incite others to join.

"Without law and order, society cannot function. If conventional methods to maintain law and order fail and alternative measures are used, it will be unfortunate for everyone," he said.

SP Imphal West Ksh Shivakanta Singh added, "We have seen situations where locals cooperated with the police and persuaded demonstrators to avoid violence. We urge community elders to help restrain those who come to protests under the influence of alcohol and engage in violent behaviour. Cooperation will help us manage the situation more effectively." -- PTI

20:45 Kejriwal is 'not hungry for power': Farooq

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's announcement of resignation shows he is not hungry for power and wants to go back to people 'who will either make or break him'.

"He wants fresh elections in Delhi so that he goes back to the people and it is the people who will either make or break him," Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.

The National Conference (NC) president said the charges have not been proved against Kejriwal in the liquor scam and so he wants people to decide.

"They have not been able to prove charges on him, that is why he wants to go to public so that the people decide. It is a very good thing that he is not hungry for power, he has left the chair even as there was still time. He wants to gain the faith of the people and it is a huge thing in a democracy," he added.

Meanwhile, when asked about many independent candidates contesting the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls, Abdullah said it was for the people to decide whether they like someone or not. -- PTI

A 49-year-old man died at Walayar near Palakkad on Saturday after choking on idlis during an eating contest held as part of Onam celebrations, police said.

The competition was organised by a local club, they said.

"The deceased, Suresh, choked on the idlis while taking part in the competition and the onlookers tried to save him and somehow took out the idli," police said.

However, he died soon after he was taken to a nearby hospital, police added.

A case for unnatural death was registered by the Walayar Police. -- PTI

20:04 Fresh encounter breaks out in J-K's Kathua

A fresh encounter broke out between terrorists and police on Sunday in a forest area in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, while an overnight gunfight in Poonch district ended with one terrorist believed to have suffered injuries, officials said.

A police search party came under fire from terrorists at remote Nuknali Nalla in Bani area of Kathua district late this afternoon, the officials said.

They said the police party returned the fire and an exchange of fire was going on between the two sides when last reports were received.

Reinforcements have been rushed to plug escape routes and help neutralise the terrorists, the officials said.

In Poonch, the officials said the overnight encounter in Pathanateer area near Gursai top in Mendhar sub-division ended around noon.

Blood stains were seen near the scene of the gunfight, suggesting that one of the terrorists had got injured, they said, adding the area is still under cordon and a search operation is underway to hunt down the fleeing militants.

Acting on a tip-off about the presence of two to three terrorists, a joint search operation was launched by the police and Army in the area on Saturday evening.

The search party came under fire from the hiding terrorists, triggering a gunfight, the officials said, adding intermittent exchange of fire continued till this afternoon. -- PTI

In a significant political development, the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) headed by Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer and former members of Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) have come together in a strategic alliance for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls.

'A joint meeting was held today in which the AIP delegation was led by AIP Supremo and chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, while the JEI delegation was led by Ghulam Qadir Wani. Prominent JEI members participated in the discussions,' the AIP said in a statement.

Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir was banned by the Union Home Ministry in 2019. The ban was extended for another five years in February this year. Several influential leaders of Jamaat are contesting assembly polls as independent candidates.

An AIP spokesperson said the two sides agreed to work together in the larger interest of the region's population. The goal is to secure a resounding victory for AIP and JEI candidates, ensuring that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have strong representatives who can articulate their sentiments and aspirations, he said.

"Following comprehensive deliberations, it was agreed that AIP would support JEI-backed candidates in Kulgam and Pulwama Similarly, JEI will throw its support behind AIP candidates across Kashmir," he said.

In areas where both AIP and JEI have fielded candidates, the alliance has agreed to a 'friendly contest', particularly in constituencies like Langate, Devsar and Zainapora, he said.

In other constituencies, mutual support will be extended to ensure a unified approach to the elections, the spokesman added.

"Both parties underscored the importance of unity in resolving the Kashmir issue and promoting a lasting and dignified peace in the region.

"They highlighted the rapidly evolving political landscape, both regionally and internationally, and stressed that neither JEI nor AIP can afford to remain passive observers," the spokesman said.

The leadership of both AIP and JEI have called upon their cadres to spread the message of support for each other's candidates, in line with the agreement.

"The goal is to secure a resounding victory for AIP and JEI candidates, ensuring that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have strong representatives who can articulate their sentiments and aspirations," he added. -- PTI

The son of an SP MLA, booked for allegedly torturing a minor maid, and abetting the suicide of another, was on Sunday taken into police custody, officials said.

Two cases were registered against Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Bhadohi Zahid Beg and his wife Seema Beg on Friday and Saturday. According to sources, the duo is absconding.

On Sunday, police reached the MLA's residence in Bhadohi and took his son, Zaim Beg, 27, into custody.

He is being questioned, City Kotwali in-charge Ashwini Kumar Tripathi said.

Meanwhile, a huge crowd of SP workers gathered outside the police station soon after Zaim Beg was brought there.

According to police, the Labour Department registered a case against the MLA and his wife late Friday on the recommendation of Child Welfare Committee chairman P C Upadhyay.

The action was taken after the suicide of a teenager at the MLA's residence on Monday and the subsequent rescue of a 17-year-old girl during a raid conducted by a team of Bhadohi police and the Labour Department personnel on Tuesday.

Bhadohi Superintendent of Police Meenakshi Katyayan said police's anti-human trafficking team had investigated the suicide case of Nazia who was found hanging under suspicious circumstances at the MLA's residence.

In this regard, another case was registered against Zahid Beg and his wife under Section 108 (abetting suicide) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita on Saturday evening. -- PTI

18:30 Malappuram man dies of Nipah virus infection

The 24-year-old man who died recently at a private hospital in Malappuram was infected with the Nipah virus, Kerala Health Minister Veena George said on Sunday.

George said the suspicion of Nipah infection arose after a death investigation conducted by the Regional Medical Officer.

"The available samples were immediately sent for testing and it turned out to be positive," the minister said in a video message.

The Malappuram native who reached the state from Bengaluru died on September 9, after which his available samples were sent for testing to Kozhikode Medical college hospital laboratory.

Malappuram health officials said the results from Kozhikode medical college indicated a positive result, after which a high-level meeting was held by the health minister on Saturday night itself and she initiated the necessary steps as per the protocol.

Meanwhile, the results from National Institute of Virology (NIV) Pune on Sunday confirmed the infection.

The minister said 16 committees were formed on Saturday night itself and a contact list of 151 people has been identified.

She said the man had travelled with his friends to various places and the close contacts had been isolated.

"Minor fever and symptoms were found in five of those under isolation and their samples have been sent for testing," the minister said.

A boy from Malappuram, who was undergoing treatment for Nipah infection, died on July 21. It was the first confirmed case of Nipah infection in the state this year.

Nipah outbreaks have been reported in Kozhikode district in 2018, 2021 and 2023 and in Ernakulam district in 2019, and the presence of Nipah virus antibodies had been detected in bats in Kozhikode, Wayanad, Idukki, Malappuram and Ernakulam districts. -- PTI

Two couples and a woman were allegedly beaten to death on suspicion of practising witchcraft in a village in Chhattisgarh's tribal-dominated Sukma district on Sunday, police said.

Five persons, all from the same village, have been detained concerning the murder and are being interrogated, they said.

The incident took place in Ektal village under Konta police station limits and the victims were identified as Mausam Kanna (34), his wife Mausam Biri, Mausam Buchcha (34), his wife Mausam Arjo (32), and another woman Karka Lachhi (43), a police official in Sukma said.

After being alerted, senior officials rushed to the spot, he said.The accused who have been detained are Savlam Rajesh (21), Savlam Hidma, Karam Satyam (35), Kunjam Mukesh (28) and Podiam Enka, he said.

Further investigation into the incident is underway, he added.In a similar incident on Thursday (September 12), four members of a family, including an infant boy, were allegedly killed on the suspicion that a member of their family practised black magic in a village in the state's Balodabazar-Bhatapara district. -- PTI

The government has started preparations for conducting the decadal census, but a decision is yet to be taken on including a column on caste as part of the exercise, sources said on Sunday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, one source said that the decadal census will be conducted soon.

India has conducted the census every 10 years since 1881.

The first phase of this decade's census was expected to begin on April 1, 2020 but had to be postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, enacted by Parliament last year, too is linked to the conduct of the decadal census.

The law reserving one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies shall come into effect after an exercise of delimitation is undertaken based on the relevant figures of the first census recorded after the Act has come into force.

"This is yet to be decided," the source said when asked about inclusion of a column on caste in the decadal census.

The political parties have been making vociferous demands for conducting a caste census.

In the absence of fresh data, the government agencies are still formulating policies and allocating subsidies based on the data of the 2011 census.

The house listing phase of the census and the exercise to update the National Population Register (NPR) were scheduled to be carried out across the country from April 1 to September 30, 2020 but it was postponed due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

The entire census and the NPR exercise is likely to cost the government more than Rs 12,000 crore, the officials said.

This exercise, whenever it happens, will be the first digital census giving the citizens an opportunity to self-enumerate.

The NPR has been made compulsory for the citizens, who want to exercise the right to fill the census form on their own rather than through government enumerators.

For this, the census authority has designed a self-enumeration portal, which is yet to be launched.

During self-enumeration, Aadhaar or mobile number will be mandatorily collected. The Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner had prepared 31 questions to be asked.

Those questions include whether a family has a telephone, internet connection, mobile or smartphone, bicycle, scooter or motorcycle or moped, whether they own a car, jeep or a van.

The citizens will also be asked what is the cereal they consume in the household, main source of drinking water, main source of lighting, access to toilet, type of toilet, waste water outlet, availability of bathing facility, availability of kitchen and LPG/PNG connection, main fuel used for cooking, availability of radio, transistor, television.

The citizens will also be asked about the predominant material of the floor, wall and roof of the house, condition of the house, total number of persons normally residing in the household, whether the head of the household is a woman, whether the head of the household belongs to the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, number of dwelling rooms exclusively in possession of the household, number of married couple(s) living in the household among others. -- PTI

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said the state assembly polls are expected to be held in the second week of November and seat-sharing among the ruling allies would be finalised in the next 8 to 10 days.

A two-phase poll would be preferable for the 288-member state assembly, Shinde said in an informal chat with mediapersons at his official residence 'Varsha' in Mumbai.

The Mahayuti government, comprising the Shiv Sena led by Shinde, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Ajit Pawar-headed Nationalist Congress Party, was focusing on development and welfare measures and was getting good response from people, he said.

"Elections are likely in the second week of November. A two-phase election would be preferable. Merit and good strike rate will the criteria for seat-sharing among the Mahayuti allies," the CM said.

The seat-sharing will be finalised in 8 to 10 days, he added.

Shinde said he can see support for the government among women and asserted his was a government of the common man.

"We have struck a balance between development and welfare schemes," he said.

The appointment letters have been given to 1.5 lakh youth for jobs under the skilled training programme for which they will get a stipend from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000. The target is to cover 10 lakh youth, the CM said.

Shinde said 1.6 crore women have so far got financial assistance under the government's Ladki Bahin scheme.

"We plan to reach out to 2.5 crore women," he said.

At present, women beneficiaries of the government's flagship 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana' get Rs 1,500 per month.

Shinde also said his government aims to make Mumbai slum-free and ensure affordable housing for all.

All government agencies, like the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra (CIDCO) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), have been roped-in for the redevelopment of slums, he added. -- PTI

The driver of a car that got stuck in the flooded Old Faridabad Railway underpass leading to the death of its two occupants had disregarded the barricades put up to prevent people from going to the inundated area, a police official has claimed.

Viraj (26), a cashier at a private bank branch here, and Punyashray Sharma (48), the manager, were returning home in Greater Faridabad from Gurugram on Friday night when their sports utility vehicle (SUV) got stuck in the flooded underpass around 11:50 pm, police said.

The XUV 700 entered the underpass ignoring all warnings and water gushed into the vehicle, they said.

The passersby attempted to help the duo stuck in the car and after a lot of efforts, managed to get them out but Viraj died on the spot, a police official said, adding Sharma was taken to the Badshah Khan Civil Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

According to police, rains throughout Friday inundated the underpass and cars were warned against entering it.

"A barricade was put up at the entrance of the underpass since it was waterlogged. The occupants of the SUV were told by police officers to take a different route," police sub-inspector Rajesh Kumar told PTI Videos.

"But they removed the barricade and attempted to go through the underpass. The car's doors got locked as it got stuck in the water and the duo died by drowning," he said.

A colleague of the two deceased said Viraj and Sharma left the bank at night.

"Viraj was driving. He was new in Delhi-NCR and maybe he didn't know that the route was waterlogged," Arjun Singh, the colleague, told PTI Videos.

Inspector Samer Singh, the SHO of the NIT Faridabad police station, said the families of the deceased have been informed about the incident and the bodies will be handed over to their kin after post-mortem. -- PTI

A 36-year-old Uttar Pradesh Police inspector died of cardiac arrest in a roadways bus while coming from Lucknow to Prayagraj on Sunday, officials said.

Inspector Anurag Sharma, 36, had recently been transferred from Prayagraj to Lucknow, they said.

He was on his way to Prayagraj where his wife and children stay, Kotwali police station in-charge Rohit Tiwari said.

The officer said Sharma boarded the bus last night, and on Sunday morning, all passengers got down at Zero Road bus stand but the inspector remained on his seat.

When he did not wake up, the conductor informed the police, he said.

Tiwari said Sharma's family has been informed about his death.

Prima facie, his death appears to be due to cardiac arrest, he said, adding that the body is being sent for post-mortem. -- PTI

Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal has played an 'emotional card' by announcing that he would resign as Delhi chief minister after two days in his bid to make a virtue out of necessity, the Bharatiya Janata Party said on Sunday.

"He is enacting the resignation drama because the court did not acquit him in the (excise policy scam) case and instead granted him a conditional bail, which turned him into a ceremonial minister from the chief minister," BJP national spokesperson Shezad Poonwalla claimed.

Two days after being released from Tihar on bail in the excise policy scam case, the AAP national convener said he would resign after two days and would demand early polls in Delhi.

He vowed not to sit in CM's chair till people give him a 'certificate of honesty'.

Terming Kejriwal's move a 'PR exercise and a drama', Poonwalla alleged that the AAP national convenor's announcement is a part of his plan to make his wife Sunita Kejriwal the chief minister.

"Arvind Kejriwal has done a PhD on how to make a virtue out of necessity." Addressing AAP workers, Kejriwal said he would hold a meeting of AAP MLAs in the next couple of days and a party leader would take over as chief minister.

Hitting out at the Delhi chief minister, Poonwalla said, "He has taken two days' time because his entire plan is to make his wife Sunita Kejriwal chief minister of Delhi in his place."

"The emotional and PR cards that he is playing is aimed at creating a Manmohan Singh-like system in Delhi as (former Congress president) Sonia Gandhi did," the BJP leader charged.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, people ensured the defeat of the AAP and the Congress in all seven seats despite the Kejriwal-led party's 'jail ka badla vote campaign', he added. -- PTI

14:29 Deepika Padukone discharged from hospital

Bollywood star Deepika Padukone was on Sunday discharged from a private hospital in Mumbai, a week after welcoming her first child with actor-husband Ranveer Singh.

The duo, who have co-starred in films such as Ram-Leela, Bajirao Mastani and 83, became parents to a baby girl on September 8.

According to videos circulating on social media, Deepika and Ranveer's car was spotted leaving the hospital on Sunday afternoon.

Neither the new mother nor the new father was seen when their car drove past the paparazzi gathered outside the hospital. In a clip, their security detail can be seen requesting the paparazzi to not trouble the couple by clicking pictures and recording videos at a traffic signal.

Another purported video shows their car entering their apartment building in Bandra amid rains in Mumbai.

Earlier in the day, Deepika updated her Instagram profile.

'Feed, burp, sleep, repeat,' read the new mother's bio.

Deepika, 38, and Ranveer, 39, announced the arrival of their first child in a joint Instagram post last Sunday.

'Welcome Baby Girl! 8.9.2024,' it read.

A day before she gave birth, the couple was photographed offering prayers at the Siddhivinayak Temple on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi.

The actor duo tied the knot in an intimate wedding ceremony in 2018 at Lake Como, Italy.

They announced Deepika's pregnancy in February.

Deepika and Ranveer will next be seen in a special appearance in the Rohit Shetty-directed Singham Again, headlined by Ajay Devgn. It is scheduled for a Diwali release. -- PTI

13:57 CBI produces ex-RG Kar principal, cop in court

Former principal of RG Kar hospital Sandip Ghosh and Tala Police Station officer-in-charge Abhijit Mondal were on Sunday produced before a court Kolkata on Sunday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with the rape-murder of a woman doctor at the medical facility.

The CBI, which is probing the case, had on Saturday evening added charges of tampering with evidence against Ghosh, who is currently in judicial custody, and arrested Mondal.

Mondal has been arrested for allegedly tampering evidence, delay in registering the FIR among other charges, an officer said.

"We shall seek their remand in the Sealdah court," he said.

Ghosh is currently in judicial custody in a corruption case.

A large contingent of security personnel have been deployed outside the Sealdah court, officials said. -- PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said he will resign after two days and would demand early polls in Delhi as he vowed not to sit in CM's chair till people give him a 'certificate of honesty'.

Kejriwal, who was released on bail from Tihar on Friday in the excise policy corruption case, said, "I will only sit on CM's chair after people give me a certificate of honesty. Want to give 'agnipariksha' after coming out of jail."

"I will become chief minister, Sisodia deputy CM only when people say we are honest," he said. -- PTI

IMAGE: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal waves to people as he visits Hanuman Temple with his wife Sunita Kejriwal to offer prayers after being released from Tihar Jail following the Supreme Court bail granted to him in the Delhi excise policy case, at Connaught Place, in New Delhi on Saturday. Photograph: Mohd Zakir/ANI Photo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday headed for Jamshedpur via road from Ranchi airport as his chopper could not take off due to inclement weather conditions.

He is scheduled to address Bharatiya Janata Party's 'Parivartan Maharally' at Gopal Maidan in Jamshedpur, which is considered crucial in view of elections to the 81-member Jharkhand assembly later this year.

"The prime minister is going to Jamshedpur via road to address a rally at Gopal Maidan there," an official said.

The distance to Gopal Maidan in Jamshedpur from Birsa Munda Airport, Ranchi is about 126 km.

Modi's visit holds political significance in the Kolhan region, comprising East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum and Seraikela Kharsawan districts, which is a focus area for the saffron party with 14 assembly seats, including nine tribal-majority constituencies.

During the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP could not win a single seat from the nine tribal segments.

The visit is also considered important in view of former Jharkhand chief minister Champai Soren who hails from the region and has influence there. Soren had recently joined the BJP. -- PTI

The Maldives and China discussed avenues of strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries, the defence ministry has said.

In a post on X on Friday, the Maldives' Ministry of Defence said Defence Minister Ghassan Maumoon met his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum.

'During the meeting, the two ministers discussed avenues of strengthening defence cooperation between the two countries,' it said, without disclosing the details of the discussions.

Maldives' Ambassador to China, Dr Fazeel Najeeb, was also present during the meeting, it said.

The Maldives and China have previously held talks to strengthen military ties.

In March, Maldives and China signed an agreement to provide military assistance to Maldives military and security services, according to a report in adhadhu.com news portal. Under the agreement, China will provide military equipment and training to Maldives, President Mohamed Muizzu had said.

However, he did not provide details. -- PTI

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has advised Pakistan to adopt India's scheme ULLAS to fix its dysfunctional education system and impart quality training to its citizens, according to a media report.

The Manila-based lender's recommendation came in response to Pakistan's request for financial support to improve its education system and impart education to all out-of-school children, The Express Tribune newspaper said.

The Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) was launched by the Government of India in July last year to help non-literates and adults who missed out on formal schooling.

The ADB recommends that the government adopt a strategic and multi-stakeholder consultative approach, drawing on international best practices, such as the government of India's new centrally sponsored scheme 'ULLAS', according to the lender.

The ADB emphasised that the ULLAS scheme emphasises the need for both federal and provincial governments to collaborate urgently to enhance access to quality education and can offer insightful lessons of success and challenges when considering a similar vertical scheme in Pakistan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the new centrally-sponsored scheme ULLAS for the five-year period to cover all the aspects of 'Education for All'.

The objective of the Indian scheme is to impart not only foundational literacy and numeracy but also to cover other components which are necessary for a citizen of the 21st century such as critical life skills including financial literacy, digital literacy, commercial skills, health care and awareness, child care and education and family welfare.

The ADB's recommendation came just days before a scheduled visit of ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa to Pakistan.

The ADB president will meet with Pakistani stakeholders on Monday.

A Planning Commission's report revealed that Pakistan's education delivery system had become dysfunctional and all the 134 districts, barring Islamabad, were lagging on indicators ranging from learning outcomes to public financing.

The findings of the Planning Commission's District Education Performance Index Report 2023 underscored the human resource crisis in Pakistan where people are entering into job markets either with no or low education.

Pakistan last week declared an education emergency on International Literacy Day to educate around 26 million out-of-school children in the country. -- PTI

File image

11:08 Heavy rains cause flood-like situation in UP villages

Amid heavy rains in the state over the past few days, several areas have been experiencing severe waterlogging in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur.

Visuals from Rampur on Sunday showed a flood-like situation in the low-lying villages in Rampur.

A resident of the village said that the crops have been destroyed due to heavy rains and there is no food left for the animals.

Speaking to ANI, he said, "The crops have been destroyed due to the heavy rains and there is no food left for the animals. We have been facing severe issues due to the heavy rain."

Jameel, another villager, said the whole village has been submerged in water and there is no food left for consumption.

"We have no food left anymore. All our resources are over. There is water in the whole village, we don't know what to do," he said.

Another villager said, "There is water everywhere, in the houses and on the roads. Living here is becoming very difficult. " -- ANI

Two bike-borne assailants fired on a sweet shop in Outer Delhi's Ranhola area.

No one was injured in the attack, and no ransom demand was found, said the police.

The firing incident happened on Saturday.

The police team rushed to the spot immediately after receiving a word about it.

It was found that the steel counter in front of JM Aggarwal Sweets and the glass of JM Aggarwal Bakery were fired upon.

As per CCTV, two assailants on a bike were noticed, said the police.

A case has been registered under the Arms Act, the police informed.

Further investigation into the matter is underway.

More details are awaited. -- ANI

10:27 Modi greets people on Onam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday greeted people on Onam, a festival associated with harvest and the homecoming of king Mahabali in Kerala.

"Wishing everyone a joyous Onam. May there be peace, prosperity and wellness all over," Modi said on X.

"This festival celebrates the glorious culture of Kerala and is marked enthusiastically by the Malayali community all over the world," the prime minister said. -- PTI

Rescue operation uderway at the site/ANI Photo

10:13 Death toll in Meerut house collapse rises to 9

The death toll in the collapse of a three-storey house in Zakir Nagar in Meerut has risen to nine while the rescue work at the site is still underway, the district administration said on Sunday.

In a statement, the administration said one person is feared to be still trapped under the debris.

The deceased have been identified as Sajid (40), his daughter Saniya (15), son Saqib (11), Simra (one-and-half years), Reeza (7), Naffo (63), Farhana (20), Alisa (18) and Aliya (6).

The condition of Sofiyan (6) is stable, the administration said in the statement.

Of those injured, Naeem (22), Nadeem (26), Saqib (20) and Saina (38) are undergoing treatment at the Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College.

The three-storey house collapsed on Saturday afternoon.

Punjab Police on Sunday said it has arrested the second suspect involved in the Chandigarh grenade blast incident.

Vishal Masih, a resident of village Raimal in Gurdaspur's Batala, was nabbed from Delhi, director general of police Gaurav Yadav said.

Two suspects, who came in an auto-rickshaw, had carried out the grenade blast at a house in upscale Sector 10 here on September 11.

The police arrested main perpetrator Rohan Masih, involved in the blast incident, on September 13.

"Within 72 hours of the Chandigarh Grenade blast, the @PunjabPoliceInd in coordination with Central Agencies has arrested the second perpetrator of the blast," Yadav said in a post on X.

"Following leads generated through various sources, second perpetrator Vishal Masih s/o Sabi Masih resident of village Raimal near Dhyanpur PS Kotli Surat Mallian, #Batala, District #Gurdaspur has been arrested from #Delhi," he said.

Further investigations are being conducted to uncover the entire conspiracy, he further said. -- PTI

A speeding truck rammed into a van in Rajasthan's Bundi district, leaving six pilgrims dead and three others injured early Sunday, the police said.

The accident took place around 5 am when nine pilgrims hailing from Devas district in Madhya Pradesh were en route to the Khatu Shyam temple in Sikar district.

The deceased, who were in the age group of 16-40 years, have been identified as Madan Nayak, Mangilal Nayak, Mahesh Nayak, Rajesh and Punam.

One of the deceased is yet to be identified.

The truck veered onto the wrong side of the road and hit the van, Circle Inspector Pavan Meena of Hindoli police station said.

A hunt has been launched for the truck. -- PTI

Union minister Nitin Gadkari/File image

09:13 Offered PM post, but declined: Nitin Gadkari

Union minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Gadkari said that he turned down an offer for the Prime Minister's position from a political leader, stating that becoming PM was not the aim of his life.

Addressing the media fraternity at late Anil Kumar Patrakarita Puraskar Samaroh organised by Vidarbha Gaurav Pratishthan on Saturday, the Union minister of road transport and highways said that he is loyal to his conviction and organisation, and won't compromise with that.

"I do not want to name anyone but a person said to me, if you are going to become a prime minister, we will support you. I said, why you should support me, and why I should take your support. To become a prime minister is not the aim in my life. I am loyal to my conviction and organisation and I am not going to compromise for any post because my conviction is most important to me. I think that this conviction is the biggest strength of Indian democracy," Gadkari said.

He further said, "Democracy will be successful only when all four pillars--the judiciary, executive, legislature and media--follow ethics." -- ANI

File image

08:51 Another case of mpox reported at Karachi airport

The authorities at Karachi's Jinnah International Airport have reported another suspected case of monkeypox on Saturday, ARY News reported.

According to the details, a traveller who arrived on a PIA flight from Jeddah had symptoms that resembled monkeypox.

The traveller was taken away to a government-run isolation ward in Sindh for additional assessment and care.

Earlier this week, the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan reported a fifth case of monkeypox.

The 33-year-old victim was a resident of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, ARY News reported, citing an official.

The official stated that upon the citizen's September 7 return to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia, the Khyber Teaching Hospital confirmed that he had monkeypox. -- ANI

RG Kar Medical College and Hospital ex-principal Sandip Ghosh/File image

08:35 Medic murder: CBI charges Sandip Ghosh with evidence tampering

In a significant development, the Central Bureau of Investigation on Saturday slapped charges of tampering with evidence against former principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Ghosh, currently in judicial custody in a corruption case, in the medic's rape-murder case, an official of the probe agency said.

The agency also arrested Abhijit Mondal, the officer in charge of Tala Police Station, for his alleged involvement in the rape and murder of an on-duty woman medic in the RG Kar Hospital, he said.

The hospital is under the jurisdiction of Tala Police Station.

The central agency had applied before a court seeking the remand of Ghosh.

The court has asked the jail authorities to produce him for CBI custody, the official added.

Three persons have so far been arrested in connection with the rape and murder case. -- PTI

File image

08:16 Modi to flag off six new Vande Bharat trains today

The six new Vande Bharat trains that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off on Sunday for different locations, offer faster connectivity, safe journey and a range of passenger amenities, the railway ministry has said.

These new trains would also bolster the rapidly growing fleet of this modern innovation from 54 train sets to 60 with 120 trips daily covering over 280 districts across 24 states and union territories, the ministry said in the statement issued on Saturday.

Prime Minister Modi will travel to Jharkhand today and flag off six Vande Bharat trains at Tatanagar Junction Railway Station around 10 am, according to a release by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

"The Vande Bharat Portfolio is ever-expanding with new train services being added for enhanced connectivity," the statement read.

"Indigenously designed under the 'Make in India' initiative, it offers cutting-edge features delivering luxury and efficiency to millions of passengers, it added. The six new routes that these trains will cover are Tatanagar-Patna, Brahmapur-Tatanagar, Rourkela-Howrah, Deoghar-Varanasi, Bhagalpur-Howrah and Gaya-Howrah.

"With faster commute times, advanced safety features, and world-class amenities, Indian Railways is setting new benchmarks in travel," the ministry said highlighting the benefits. -- PTI

File image

08:09 Encounter breaks out in Poonch during search op

An encounter broke out in a remote village in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district when security forces launched a cordon and search operation following information about the presence of terrorists, an official said on Sunday.

Acting on a tip off, a joint search operation was launched by the police and Army in the Pathanateer area near Gursai top in Mendhar sub-division on Saturday evening, the security official said.

He said the search party came under fire from the hiding terrorists, triggering a gunfight. Intermittent exchange of fire is on between both the sides, the official said, adding that reinforcements were rushed to the area and further details are awaited. -- PTI

Protesters using advanced weapons: Manipur cops

Timeline Refresh

TOP STORIES