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Tue, 07 January 2025

Has Bangladesh taken over Indian land? BSF says..

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23:41 Senior citizen dies in blaze at singer Udit Narayan's building

A senior citizen died and another person was hospitalised after suffering from suffocation after a fire in a Mumbai building where noted Bollywood singer Udit Narayan stays, officials said.

The fire broke out in the B wing of the building, the singer, who stays in the A wing of the high-rise, told PTI.

The blaze erupted in a flat on the 11th floor of the 13-storey Sky Pan building in Andheri's Oberoi Complex at 10 pm on Monday, the officials said.

It was doused after nearly four hours at 1.49 am on Tuesday, the officials said.

Two persons suffered from suffocation due to smoke following the fire and were rushed to nearby Kokilaben Hospital.

One of them, 75-year-old Rahul Mishra, was declared "brought dead", while the other person, Raunak Mishra (38), was discharged against medical advice after initial treatment, he said.

The fire was confined to the electric wiring, electric installations and household articles in the flat, another official said.

Prima facie, the fire brigade suspects a short-circuit could have triggered the fire, but the exact cause was under investigation, he said.

Udit Narayan said the fire department did its best to douse the fire. -- PTI

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23:35 Has Bangladesh taken over Indian land? BSF says...

The Border Security Force on Tuesday rejected reports that the Border Guard Bangladesh has taken control of a 5-km stretch of land belonging to India along the International Border as "baseless and irresponsible".

In a statement, the BSF South Bengal Frontier said the reports that appeared in a section of the Bangladeshi press lacked "truth and merit".

"The area in question is on the Indian side, in Ranghat village of Bagda block, North 24 Parganas district. The International Boundary runs along the Kodaliya River, which is well-demarcated by reference pillars on both sides. The status of the IB and the duty pattern of the BSF have remained unchanged for decades," the statement said.

It also refuted claims that BGB personnel had started 24-hour patrolling the area using motorised boats and ATVs since December 19.

"These reports are nothing but concocted stories. The BSF and BGB continue to perform their duties on their respective sides of the river, which serves as the IB," he said.

The BSF said the area is unfenced and prone to smuggling and infiltration by Bangladeshi nationals.

Strict measures have been taken to curb such activities, bringing infiltration attempts in the region down to negligible levels, it said. -- PTI

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23:17 Spot booking for Makaravilakku festival at Sabarimala capped at 5,000 daily

The Kerala police on Tuesday said that spot booking for pilgrims during the Makaravilakku festival at the Lord Ayyappa shrine in Sabarimala will be capped at 5,000 persons per day from January 8 to January 15 to avoid overcrowding.

This decision follows the Kerala high court's directive to improve crowd management during festival seasons at the temple, according to a release issued by the state police media cell.

Virtual queue bookings via the Travancore Devaswom Board website have been set at 60,000, 50,000, and 40,000 on January 12, 13, and 14, respectively, it said.

Devotees have also been advised against camping on the hillock, the release noted.

Preparations are underway to prevent overcrowding on January 14, the day of makaravilakku, as devotees customarily begin gathering at parnasalas from January 10 to view the makara jyoti, the release said.

The police will enforce guidelines to regulate cooking and other activities by devotees at the parnasalas, while also taking measures to ensure security at the designated sites prepared for pilgrims to view the jyoti, the release stated.

The SPMC stated that the Thiruvabharnam procession for the makaravilakku festival will depart for Sabarimala at 1 pm on January 12 from the Valiya Koyikkal Temple in Pandalam, following the darshan of devotees and various ceremonies.

The procession will halt at Laha on the night of January 13 and reach Sabarimala by 4 pm on January 14, the release stated.

The police are making necessary arrangements to ensure the safety of pilgrims along the procession routes, it added. -- PTI

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22:38 Fire breaks out in Gujarat's Porbandar forest

A fire broke out in a forest in Ratnapur village of Porbandar on Tuesday evening, a senior official said.

Three fire tenders from Porbandar municipality reached the fire site.

Additionally, the Indian Navy also provided two fire tenders to douse the blaze, deputy collector and sub-divisional magistrate SA Jadav said.

"We received information about the fire in Ratanpar village of Porbandar. When local administration came to know about it, 3 fire tenders of Porbandar Municipality were made available here. Firefighting operations are going on for the last 2 hours. Indian Navy has also sent 2 fire tenders here," Jadav said. -- ANI

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22:33 More than 300 flights delayed at Delhi airport due to adverse weather conditions

Over 300 flights were delayed at the Delhi airport on Tuesday due to low visibility conditions.

An official said there were no flight diversions on Tuesday.

In a post on X at 5.20 pm, DIAL said runway visibility at Delhi airport has improved and all flights are operating normally. Passengers are requested to contact their concerned airline for updated flight information, Delhi International Airport Ltd said.

According to the official, more than 300 flights were delayed at the airport on account of low visibility conditions.

DIAL operates the national capital's Indira Gandhi International Airport, which handles around 1,300 flight movements every day.

Meanwhile, adverse weather conditions also impacted flight operations at other airports. -- PTI

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw/File imaage

22:09 Data rules to be tweaked to protect kids: Vaishnaw

The Digital Personal Data Protection Rules will be refined further to connect children with technology while saving them from harms in the digital space, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Tuesday.

While speaking to reporters, the minister said the rules will evolve based on the learning from their implementation.

"We will refine it (DPDP Rules) further to take the power of technology to children while saving them from many harm," Vaishnaw said.

The government issued draft DPDP Rules 2025 on January 3 and these are open for public consultation till February 18, 2024.

According to the draft rules, digital platforms can process data of a child only after taking consent from verifiable guardian or parents.

The verification can be done using voluntarily provided details of identity and age, or through a virtual token issued by an entity entrusted by law or by the Centre or state governments to maintain details of a person.

Vaishnaw said the token system has been successful in various cases such as verification in case of Aadhaar-based transactions. -- PTI

The Punjab police on Tuesday said it has dismantled a drug cartel with the arrest of four individuals, including a woman, and seized 5 kg of heroin from their possession.

Director general of police Gaurav Yadav said those arrested have been identified as Gurpreet Singh alias Gopi (19), Baljeet Kaur (32) and Maninder Singh (34) from Tarn Taran and Harpreet Singh (26) from Amritsar's Lodhi Gujar village.

Apart from recovering heroin, police teams have also impounded two motorcycles.

DGP Yadav said all the accused were in direct contact with Pakistan-based smugglers and receiving consignments of drugs from across the border.

Probe revealed that consignments were being dropped with the help of drones, he added.

The DGP said that further investigations are going on to establish backward and forward linkages in this case.

More arrests and recoveries are likely in coming days. -- PTI

Malayalam actress Honey Rose (right)

21:50 Actress accuses prominent jeweller of 'sexual' harassment

Malayalam actress Honey Rose on Tuesday lodged a police complaint against prominent businessman Boby Chemmanur, accusing him of making "repeated sexually coloured" remarks against her.

Rose posted the allegation on one of her social media handles.

Chemmanur rejected Rose's allegations, claiming there was nothing objectionable in what he had said.

The Ernakulam Central police said further procedures are underway in Rose's complaint, and they will soon register a case against the businessman under BNS Section 75 (sexual harassment).

"I have filed a complaint with the Ernakulam Central Police Station against your (Chemmanur) continuous derogatory remarks about me. I will take the same action against your supporters who share the same mentality. You can continue to rely on your wealth, but I have faith in the Indian legal system," she said in her Facebook post.

She also warned others with a "similar mindset" to his of strict legal action.

In the Facebook post, Rose further told the businessman to continue believing in his money power.

Rejecting the actress's charges, Chemmanur said there were no such issues between them as raised by her. He claimed that he didn't use any derogatory terms, as alleged by her, and he always interacted with her in a friendly manner.

"She attended two of my inauguration events. We danced... I used to tell jokes. She seemed to have no issue with those things. And now she lodged a complaint against me after months," the businessman said.

He said he did not think that she had any personal grudge against him.

The jeweller further claimed that he behaves decently with women and said he discussed the matter with his lawyers, who said there was nothing objectionable in what he had said.

An 18-year-old girl who fell into a 540-foot-deep borewell and was rescued after more than 33 hours in Gujarat's Kutch district was declared dead at a hospital in Bhuj on Tuesday, officials said.

The girl fell into the borewell at Kanderai village in Bhuj taluka around 6.30 am on Monday and was stuck at a depth of 490 feet, prompting the administration to launch a multi-agency rescue operation.

According to officials, the borewell had a diameter of one foot, and the fact that she was grown up and stuck deep into it made the rescue efforts difficult.

The teenager was brought out at around 4 pm.

"Unfortunately, the girl could not survive and was declared dead by doctors at GK General Hospital in Bhuj," said AB Jadav, assistant collector and SDM, Bhuj.

The official said the teen was brought out using a "hook technique", wherein L and J-shaped hooks were lowered into the borewell, fitted on two sides and pressure was applied from below to pull her up.

An official from the state water supply and sewerage board said the girl was rescued using a makeshift contraption. -- PTI

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21:14 Govt announces memorial for Pranab Mukherjee

The government has decided to set up a memorial for former president Pranab Mukherjee at the 'Rashtriya Smriti' area complex.

Mukherjee died on August 31, 2020.

Sharmistha Mukherjee, daughter of the former president, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday and thanked him for honouring her father.

"The competent authority has approved the earmarking of a designated site within the 'Rashtriya Smriti' complex (a part of the Rajghat precinct) for erecting a Samadhi of Late Shri Pranab Mukherjee, former President of India," the government said in a letter to Sharmistha Mukherjee informing her of the decision.

After receiving the letter, Sharmistha Mukherjee sought an appointment with the prime minister to thank him for the honour. Mukherjee said that she was happy that the government had recognised the contribution of her late father and former president towards the nation. -- PTI

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20:52 Drugs worth over Rs 11 crore seized in Assam

Drugs worth over Rs 11 crore have been seized in three separate operations from Assam's Cachar and Karbi Anglong districts, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Tuesday.

The police seized 1.17 kg of suspected heroin worth Rs 5.1 crore from Dighar Fulertol area in Cachar district late on Monday.

In another operation, they recovered 73.97 kg of ganja worth Rs 38 lakh from Dhanehari.

The officers intercepted a bus coming from a neighbouring state at Dillai Tiniali and seized another 1.22 kg of suspected heroin worth Rs 6 crore in Karbi Anglong district, Sarma said.

"Drugs haul worth over Rs 11 crore. In three separate anti-narcotics operations carried out by units of @assampolice.... Good job! #AssamAgainstDrugs," the chief minister posted on X.

He, however, did not mention whether any arrests were made in connection with the operation. -- PTI

Tamil superstar Ajith/File image

20:28 Actor Ajith escapes unhurt in Dubai racing car crash

Tamil superstar Ajith escaped unhurt after he crashed his car during a practice session for the upcoming Dubai 24 hours race.

The 53-year-old actor owns racing team Ajith Kumar Racing and is participating in the racing event along with teammates Mathieu Detry, Fabian Duffieux and Cameron McLeod.

The official Instagram page of the Ajith Kumar Racing shared a video of the crash.

In the short clip, Ajith's car is seen crashing into the barriers at a high-speed.

In the next shot, the actor is seen getting out of the vehicle, seemingly without any injury.

"Ajith Kumar's massive crash in practise, but he walks away unscathed. Another day in the office ' that's racing!" read the caption. The actor will be next seen in "Vidaamuyarchi", which will be released in theatres later this month. -- PTI

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi

20:17 AIMIM fields Shafa ur Rehman Khan from Okhla, second candidate in Delhi polls

The Asaduddin Owaisi-led All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) on Tuesday announced it was fielding Shafa ur Rehman Khan from the Okhla constituency, its second candidate for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections.

The ruling AAP has again fielded its MLA Amanatullah Khan from the constituency, while the BJP and Congress are yet to announce their candidates.

Shafa ur Rehman Khan, the President of the Jamia Alumni Association (AAJMI), will represent the party in the crucial election, the AIMIM's Delhi president Shoaib Jamai said.

Former AAP councillor and northeast Delhi riots accused Tahir Hussain was the first candidate for the Delhi polls announced by the AIMIM around a month ago.

He will contest from Mustafabad. Posting on X, the party said, "An appeal is made to all the voters of the Okhla assembly constituency to make Shafa ur Rehman Khan victorious with the largest number of votes by pressing the button on the kite symbol on February 5."

The Delhi assembly polls will be held on February 5.

The last date to file nominations is January 17, and the scrutiny of nominations will be completed by January 18. -- PTI

A young man was apprehended in the Ram Janmabhoomi complex in Ayodhya for carrying camera-equipped sunglasses and clicking photos, officials said Tuesday.

The accused was violating the ban on photography and videography in the temple for security reasons, the officials said.

The man, identified as Jani Jaikumar from Vadodara in Gujarat, managed to pass through multiple checkpoints on the Ram Janmabhoomi path and reached near the Singhdwar of the temple complex on Monday, they said.

He was spotted taking photos with the camera-equipped glasses, which caught the attention of security personnel when the camera light flashed, they added.

"The youth was immediately taken into custody after the suspicious device was discovered. The glasses, equipped with cameras on both sides and a button for capturing images, are valued at approximately Rs 50,000," SP (Security) Balramachari Dubey said.

Dubey further said Anurag Bajpai, an SSF jawan who detained the man, will be rewarded for his vigilance.

"The security watcher's quick action ensured no further security breach occurred," he added.

The detained youth, reportedly a businessman, is being interrogated by the authorities, he said. -- PTI

The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday conducted searches at half a dozen locations of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike as part of a "comprehensive" money laundering investigation against alleged irregularities in the civic body that works for the Greater Bengaluru metropolitan area.

Official sources said the federal agency collected a "good number of" documents and electronic gadgets during the raids.

They said about six offices linked to the BBMP were searched under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

The action pertains to a "comprehensive" action by the ED against some alleged irregularities in the execution of civic works by the cash-rich body including the digging of borewells and installation of Reverse Osmosis plants among others, the sources said.

The searches were based on a complaint lodged by former BBMP councilor NR Ramesh.

Ramesh, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader, told reporters that he had lodged a complaint with the Anti Corruption Bureau on June 16, 2020 about the borewell and RO plants between 2016 and 2019.

This scheme was introduced to provide safe drinking water in areas where there is no Cauvery water supply.

"Since it was a multi-crore scam of more than Rs 400 crore pertaining to the works worth Rs 970 crore, the ACB referred the case to the ED, which carried out searches today in the BBMP," Ramesh said. -- PTI

19:11 BSE Sensex top gainers today

Benchmark equity indices Sensex and Nifty rebounded on Tuesday after sliding for the past two sessions, driven by intense buying in blue-chip stocks like Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and L&T amid a firm trend in global markets.

However, a decline in IT stocks ahead of the earnings season and depreciating rupee against the greenback restricted the market rally, traders said.

In a range-bound trade, the 30-share BSE benchmark Sensex climbed 234.12 points or 0.30 percent to settle at 78,199.11.

From the 30-share blue-chip pack, Tata Motors, Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank, Asian Paints, Nestle India, UltraTech Cement, Larsen & Toubro and Adani Ports were among the biggest gainers.

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18:52 Maha makes FASTag mandatory at all toll plazas from April 1

The Maharashtra cabinet on Tuesday decided to make toll collection through FASTag mandatory from April 1 and announced revisions in the Rules of Business to streamline administrative processes.

The cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis approved the public works department's proposal that toll collection at toll plazas across the state will be done exclusively through FASTag from April 1.

It also approved amendments to the Public-Private Partnership Policy 2014 to facilitate this change.

FASTag is India's electronic toll collection chip for national highways.

The move is expected to bring efficiency and transparency to toll collection and reduce vehicle congestion at toll plazas.

It will save time and fuel for commuters, a government statement said.

It also stated that vehicles without FASTag or those entering the dedicated lanes without proper tags will have to pay double the toll fee.

At present, tolls are being collected at 13 road projects under the public works department and nine projects managed by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation.

The decision will apply to these and all future toll projects in the state, the statement said. -- PTI

The parliamentary panel constituted to scrutinise the two simultaneous election bills will hold its first meeting on Wednesday, with officials of the law and justice ministry scheduled to brief its members on the provisions of the proposed laws.

The 39-member joint committee of Parliament is headed by Bharatiya Janata Party MP P P Chaudhary and includes members of all major parties, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra of the Congress, Sanjay Jha of the Janata Dal-United, Shiv Sena's Shrikant Shinde, Aam Aadmi Party's Sanjay Singh and Trinamool Congress's Kalyan Banerjee.

Chaudhary is a former minister of state for law.

The Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill were introduced in the Lok Sabha during the Winter Session and referred to the committee.

The government decided to increase the committee's strength from 31 to 39 as more political parties expressed the desire to be part of the exercise to examine the two draft legislations on simultaneous elections.

Former Union ministers Anurag Thakur, Parshottam Rupala and Manish Tewari and several first-term lawmakers, including Bansuri Swaraj and Sambit Patra, are also members of the committee.

The panel has 27 members from the Lok Sabha and 12 from the Rajya Sabha. -- PTI

A couple in their 50s allegedly died by suicide in Tilakwadi area of Nashik city, the police said on Tuesday.

Jayesh Rasiklal Shah (58) and Raksha Jayesh Shah (55) died early Monday morning, a few days before their younger son's wedding, said an official.

The couple lived their two sons and the elder son's wife.

After a dinner with relatives on Sunday evening, Jayesh and Raksha apparently consumed some poisonous substance.

While the elder son and his wife were out of town, the younger son, when he returned, found them in unconscious state, the official said.

The couple were rushed to hospital where they were declared dead around 2 am on Monday.

No suicide note has been found and Sarkarwada police are conducting further probe, the official said. -- PTI

Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa/File image

18:18 K'taka moves SC against bail to actor Darshan in murder case

The Karnataka government has moved the Supreme Court against the high court's decision granting bail to Kannada actors Darshan Thoogudeepa, Pavithra Gowda, and five others in the Renukaswamy murder case.

The Karnataka high court on December 13, 2024, granted bail to the actor Darshan and others.

Darshan was arrested on June 11, 2024, for allegedly killing his fan Renukaswamy on June 8 the same year after he reportedly sent obscene messages to Gowda.

Before the grant of bail, the actor was lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Jail in Bengaluru but when a photograph of him relaxing with some other jail inmates went viral, he was transferred to Ballari Central Jail.

The state moved the top court against the grant of bail on January 6.

The mortal remains of 33-year-old Renukaswamy, an autorickshaw driver, were discovered on June 9, 2024.

He allegedly succumbed to injuries after being attacked on the orders of Darshan, who reportedly urged his fans to accost and kidnap Renukaswamy for posting derogatory comments about Gowda on social media. -- PTI

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18:11 Thane coaching institute dupes JEE students of Rs 3 cr; 8 officials booked

The police on Tuesday said they have registered a criminal case against eight officials of a coaching institute for allegedly cheating students preparing for Joint Entrance Examination of more than Rs 3 crore in Thane city.

Assistant police inspector Sandeep Chavan of the Thane Nagar police station said the case was registered on Monday after some of the students filed a complaint against the institute which has branches in different parts of the country.

The institute collected a sum of Rs 3,20,00,000 from the JEE students since January 2024 and abruptly closed shop and classes, and misused the collected fees, he said, quoting the complaint.

JEE is a national-level entrance examination conducted for admission to various engineering colleges.

The institute collected the fees in different bank accounts from the victims.

The accused named in the FIR threatened the students when they approached them for a refund and to seek reasons for not holding classes, said Chavan.

So far, around 80 victims have been identified, but their actual number may be more, he said, adding a probe was underway.

The accused include officials from Thane, Mumbai and Delhi branches of the institute and they were booked under sections 318(4) (cheating), 316(2) (criminal breach of trust), 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) read with 3(5) (a criminal act done by several persons in furtherance of the common intention of all) of the new criminal code BNS, the police said. -- PTI

Polarisation during poll campaigns can leave scars that may last forever, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Tuesday and added that political parties should ensure that lines were not crossed.

Kumar, who was addressing a press conference to announce the assembly poll schedule in Delhi, said words and phrases such as "democratic backsliding" and "democratic recessions" were being used around the world, and issued a word of caution to the political parties.

"World over, if you look at democracies, words like 'democratic backsliding', 'democratic recession' are being used. Country after country, you can see what is happening," he said.

The campaign period is becoming so polarised in one country after another that the scars created during that time do not fade even during non-campaign periods, he added.

"Therefore, it is extremely necessary that campaigns are regulated, political parties also become sensitive and responsive, not cross lines which are being crossed the world over," Kumar said.

He also said Indian elections were always cited as an example.

"It is a gold standard."

"Aggression during campaigns sows seeds of impatience and younger generations are weaning away from elections," he added. -- PTI

A 50-year-old man allegedly hacked his wife and minor daughter to death in the early hours of Tuesday at Teluru Tummalapalli village in Kadapa district over a dispute about money for alcohol, a police official said.

Gangadhar Reddy (50) allegedly killed his wife, Srilakshmi (40), and their 14-year-old daughter while they were fast asleep in their home at around 3 am, according to the official.

The girl was a class 8 student.

"He (Reddy) was drunk last night and had a tiff with his wife over a money matter. He is highly addicted to drinking and asked his wife and daughter to sleep outside the house with him, but they refused, which led to the murders," the official said.

According to the police, Reddy and Srilakshmi had a quarrel over money for alcohol, which ultimately escalated into a double murder.

Reddy is currently in police custody and will be interrogated, the police said, adding that a murder case has been registered under BNS section 103. -- PTI

India's economic growth rate is estimated to slip to a four-year low of 6.4 percent in 2024-25, mainly on account of poor showing by the manufacturing and services sector, according to government data released on Tuesday.

The gross domestic product (GDP) rate of 6.4 percent will be the lowest since the COVID year (2020-21) when the country witnessed a negative growth of 5.8 percent.

It was 9.7 percent in 2021-22; 7 percent in 2022-23; and 8.2 percent in the last fiscal ended March 2024.

The first advance estimates of National Income for 2024-25 released by the National Statistics Office is lower than the 6.6 percent projected by the Reserve Bank in December 2024.

It is also a tad lower than the finance ministry's initial projection of 6.5-7 percent.

The advance estimates will be used in preparation for the Union Budget to be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the Lok Sabha on February 1.

The manufacturing sector output is expected to decelerate to 5.3 percent from a high of 9.9 percent recorded in the previous fiscal, NSO said in the first advance estimates of National Income for 2024-25.

The services sector, comprising trade, hotels, transport and communications, is estimated to expand at 5.8 percent against 6.4 percent in 2023-24. -- PTI

A gram panchayat in Punjab's Bathinda district has announced to give a cash incentive of Rs 21,000 to families who would not serve liquor and play DJ music at wedding ceremonies.

The decision was taken to encourage villagers not to indulge in wasteful expenditure on marriage functions and curb liquor abuse, Ballo village Sarpanch marjit Kaur said on Tuesday .

She said that it is generally seen that quarrels erupt at functions where alcohol is served and loud music is played by disc jockeys (DJs) in villages.

Moreover, the loud music also disturbs the studies of students, she added.

"We want to encourage people not to indulge in wasteful expenditure during wedding functions," she said.

The village sarpanch said the panchayat has passed a resolution under which if a family does not serve liquor and play DJ music at wedding functions, it will be given Rs 21,000.

Ballo village has a population of around 5,000 people. -- PTI

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16:33 Locomotive hits iron piece kept across railway track in Maha; probe launched

A locomotive hit a one-foot-long iron piece kept across a railway track between Atgaon and Thansit stations in Thane district of Maharashtra by unidentified persons, prompting the Government Railway Police to launch a probe, an official said on Tuesday.

The incident occurred around 3.30 am on Monday on the Central Railway line, he said.

"An overhead wire engine was proceeding towards Kasara station when it hit a one-foot-long iron piece kept across a railway track. It is yet to be ascertained if it was a mischief or a sabotage attempt," the GRP official said.

This would have resulted in a major mishap in terms of damage to trains and endangered the lives of people, he added.

Based on a complaint lodged by a constable, the police have registered a case against an unidentified person under section 125 (act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Indian Railways Act, the police said. -- PTI

Two suspected cases of Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) were detected in Maharashtra's Nagpur, and both patients were in good health while their samples have been collected, a senior official said on Tuesday.

The patients were sent home after treatment, and their samples have been sent to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and National Institute of Virology in Pune, the official said.

Talking to reporters, District Collector Vipin Itankar said, "The media reports about HMPV patients in Nagpur are wrong. Two children aged seven and 14 were treated in the outpatient department of a private hospital, and their samples were tested and marked as suspected."

The samples have now been sent to AIIMS Nagpur and NIV Pune, he said, adding that the children were in good health.

Itankar said there were no HMPV patients in Nagpur, and there was no need to panic.

HMPV is one of the many respiratory viruses that can cause infections in people of all ages, particularly during the winter and early spring months. The virus infection is usually mild and self-limiting, and most patients recover on their own.

Five cases of HMPV were confirmed in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. -- PTI

The Election Commission will write to the cabinet secretary, informing that no Delhi-specific provision can be made in the Union Budget that can disturb the level-playing field, CEC Rajiv Kumar said on Tuesday.

Polling for the 70-member Delhi Assmebly will be held on February 5 and the votes counted on February 8, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kumar announced.

Responding to a query about the the Union Budget, scheduled days ahead of the polls, Kumar said, "We will write to the cabinet secretary that no Delhi-specific provision can be made in the Union Budget that can disturb the level-playing field."

The last date to file nominations is January 17 and the scrutiny of nominations will be done by January 18.

Candidates will be able to withdraw their nominations till January 20.

Bypolls to two assembly constituencies -- Milkipur in Uttar Pradesh and Erode in Tamil Nadu -- will also be held according to the same schedule. -- PTI

16:01 ED issues fresh summons to KTR for Jan 16

The Enforcement Directorate has issued a fresh summons to BRS leader K T Rama Rao for questioning in a money laundering case on January 16 after he did not depose on Tuesday, official sources said.

The probe by the federal agency is linked to alleged payment irregularities during the Formula-E race held in Hyderabad in February 2023.

Sources said 48-year-old Rama Rao, popularly known as KTR, was asked to depose on January 7. However, he sought two weeks to depose and hence, he was given a fresh date to appear on January 16.

The federal agency had filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) or FIR recently under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act taking cognisance of a Telangana Police Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) complaint.

In a setback to the BRS working president, the Telangana High Court on Tuesday refused to quash the ACB FIR against him in connection with the Formula E race issue, removing the protection against the arrest given to him.

Senior IAS officer Arvind Kumar and retired bureaucrat and former Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) chief engineer B L N Reddy have been issued fresh summons for January 9 and January 8 respectively, the sources said. -- PTI

15:48 Courts ruled on 42 occasions: CEC on EVM row

Courts have ruled on 42 occasions that EVMs are not hackable and allegations of tampering are totally baseless, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Tuesday, rejecting claims by opposition parties about the voting machines being compromised.

Announcing the schedule of the Delhi Assembly polls, the CEC advised the public against "jhooth ke gubbare" (spreading lies).

"EVMs are commissioned only seven to eight days before polling day and candidates are kept informed through their agents at every step. Courts have ruled on 42 occasions that EVMs are not hackable... allegations of tampering with the machines are totally baseless," Kumar said addressing a press conference.

The CEC reiterated that it is impossible to change voter turnout data and a misconceived narrative is being spread about an increase in voting after 5 pm.

"Disclosure is our main pillar, detailed guidelines and datasets are available on our website," he said. -- PTI

India will soon create a new record of one billion-plus voters, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference, Kumar said 2024 was the year of elections globally when two-third of the world's population in democracies voted in different polls.

"We also had elections in eight states and UTs. There was a good atmosphere, new records were set in the Lok Sabha elections in terms of voting percentage, people's participation, women's participation...," the chief election commissioner (CEC) said.

"Electoral rolls were released yesterday. We are crossing 99 crore voters... We are going to be a nation of one billion voters very soon, which will be another record in voting," Kumar said.

"After the declaration of SSR (special summary revision) by Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Punjab, which will be declaring SSR results today, we will be crossing 99 crore voters for the first time," the CEC said, adding, "Number of women voters is also going to be around 48 crore." -- PTI

14:52 Delhi to vote on Feb 5, results on Feb 8

The Election Commission on Tuesday announced Delhi will vote in one phase on February 5.

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar announced at a press conference that the counting of votes will be held on February 8.

14:32 CEC defends voting process, EVMs, voter list

Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar is addressing a press conference to announce the schedule for the Delhi assembly elections.

Defending the voting process, the CEC said that the EVM, voter rolls tampering is impossible.

Clearing doubts over the alleged voter list fraud, Kumar said, "There were certain kinds of concerns that were raised (by political parties). It was said that wrongful addition and deletion were made in electoral rolls. It was also said that certain groups are targeted and their names are deleted. Even after giving a reply about EVM - it was said that EVM can be manipulated."

China has closed for tourists the scenic areas of its side of Mt Everest, also known as Mount Qomolangma, following a 6.8-magnitude earthquake that jolted Dingri County in the Tibet Autonomous Region on Tuesday.

Dingri is home to the base camp of the world's highest peak.

According to local authorities, the staff and tourists were in safe condition after the quake, which hit the region at 9:05 am Tuesday (Beijing Time).

Fifty-three people were killed and 62 injured in the earthquake, according to the regional disaster relief headquarters.

The hotel buildings and surrounding areas in the scenic area have remained intact, state-run Xinhua news agency reported, citing the Dingri Culture and Tourism Bureau.

However, the Qomolangma Station for Atmospheric and Environmental Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, located in Dingri, is experiencing a power outage. Despite this, the facilities have remained in good condition.

Located at the China-Nepal border, Mount Qomolangma reaches an altitude of more than 8,840 metres, with its northern section located in Tibet referred to as Xizang by China.

The weather forecast showed that Dingri's temperature ranged from minus 18 degrees Celsius to zero.

The Chinese side of Mount Qomolangma received 13,764 overseas tourists in 2024, more than twice the number recorded in 2023, Xinhua reported

The majority of tourists were from countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Germany and France, according to the County Bureau of Culture and Tourism. -- PTI

Veteran soldier Havaldar (retd) Baldev Singh, who fought four wars against Pakistan, passed away at his residence in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district, a defence spokesman said on Tuesday.

He was 93.

The revered war hero passed away due to natural causes in his hometown Naushera on Monday, the spokesman said, adding that his last rites will be performed with full military honours at his village later on Tuesday.

Born on September 27, 1931, at Naunihal village, Singh was just 16 when he volunteered to join the Bal Sena Force under the leadership of Brigadier Usman, Commander of the 50 Para Brigade, during the battle of Naushera and Jhangar in 1947-48.

The Bal Sena, a group of local boys aged 12 to 16, served as despatch runners for the Indian Army in the critical moments of these battles.

In recognition of their bravery, the then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru honoured the Bal Sainiks, presenting them with gramophones, watches, and the opportunity to join the Army.

Singh enlisted in the Army on November 14, 1950, and served the force with dedication and valour for nearly three decades, the spokesman said.

His service spanned multiple wars, including the 1961, 1962, and 1965 India-Pakistan wars.

Despite retiring in October 1969, Singh was recalled during the India-Pakistan war of 1971, when served in the 11 JAT Battalion (25 Infantry Division) for an additional eight months before returning to civilian life, the spokesman said.

Throughout his career, Singh received numerous honours for his service, including recognition by Nehru, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former vice-president Hamid Ansari, and several other distinguished leaders, he said, adding that Singh's contributions to the nation serve as an inspiring testament to patriotism and courage.

"Singh's legacy lives on as a living legend, deeply respected for his service to the country," the spokesman said. -- PTI

13:09 Rape convict Asaram Bapu gets interim bail

The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to jailed self-styled godman Asaram in a 2013 rape case on medical grounds till March 31.

Notably, a bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal directed Asaram not to meet his followers post release.

The top court said 86-year-old Asaram was suffering from various age-related health conditions besides a heart ailment.

The top court had sought Gujarat government's response on Asaram's plea for suspension of life sentence awarded to him by a Gandhinagar court in 2023.

The SC said it would only examine the issue on medical grounds.

On August 29, 2024, the Gujarat high court rejected Asaram's plea seeking the suspension and found no case to grant him the reprieve.

The trial court in January, 2023, convicted Asaram in the 2013 case, filed by a woman who lived in his ashram near Gandhinagar when the alleged crime took place.

Asaram is currently lodged in a Jodhpur jail in Rajasthan in another rape case. -- PTI

Representative image

12:37 Senior citizen dies after fire in Mumbai highrise

A senior citizen died and another person was hospitalised after suffering from suffocation following a fire in a multi-storey residential building in Mumbai's Andheri area, officials said on Tuesday.

The blaze erupted in a flat on the 11th floor of the 13-storey Sky Pan building in Oberoi Complex at 10 pm on Monday, they said.

It was doused after nearly four hours at 1.49 am on Tuesday, the officials said.

Two persons suffered from suffocation due to smoke following the fire and they were rushed to the nearby Kokilaben Hospital.

One of them, identified as 75-year-old Rahul Mishra declared "brought dead", while the other person, Raunak Mishra (38), was undergoing treatment, he said.

The fire was confined to the electric wiring, electric installations and household articles in the flat, another official said.

Prima facie, the fire brigade suspects a short-circuit could have triggered the fire, but the exact cause was under investigation, he said. -- PTI

The Centre has advised states to step up surveillance for respiratory illnesses including ILI and SARI, and spread awareness about the prevention of transmission of the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) after five cases were detected in India.

Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on Monday chaired a virtual meeting with states and union territories to take stock of respiratory illnesses and HMPV cases in the country and public health measures for their management, a health ministry statement said.

The meeting was attended by Health Research Department Secretary Dr Rajiv Bahl, Director General of Health Services Dr Atul Goel, experts from National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, (IDSP), Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), National Institute of Virology (NIV) and State Surveillance Units of IDSP, a health ministry statement said.

The meeting was held amid reports of a surge in HMPV cases in China and on a day when five cases of HMPV were confirmed in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat.

HMPV is a globally recognised respiratory virus. It is a viral pathogen that causes respiratory infections in people of all age groups.

During the meeting, it was reiterated that the data from IDSP does not indicate any unusual rise in influenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory illnesses (SARI) cases anywhere in the country, the statement said.

This is also corroborated by the ICMR sentinel surveillance data, it said.

Union health secretary Srivastava emphasised that there is no cause of concern for the public as HMPV has been present globally since 2001, the statement said.

She advised states to strengthen and review the ILI/SARI surveillance. -- PTI

United States President-elect Donald Trump has accused Joe Biden of making the presidential transition difficult, citing recent executive orders on climate and other official acts being taken by him in his last weeks as president.

Trump, 78, is slated to be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States on January 20. He replaces Biden as the new occupant of the White House, the official residence of the US President.

"Biden is doing everything possible to make the TRANSITION as difficult as possible, from Lawfare such as has never been seen before, to costly and ridiculous Executive Orders on the Green New Scam and other money wasting Hoaxes," Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

"Fear not, these "Orders" will all be terminated shortly, and we will become a Nation of Common Sense and Strength. MAGA!!!" said the president-elect.

Trump issued the statement shortly before Congress certified his victory in the Electoral College -- and after Biden, 82, banned drilling for oil and natural gas off most of America's coastline, with the total area covered by the order greater than the land of Alaska and Texas combined.

Biden announced earlier Monday he would block new drilling off the entire East Coast, as well as California, Oregon and Washington state, and block some drilling off Alaska's coast in portions of the Northern Bering Sea and in the eastern Gulf of Mexico.

Biden made the move just two weeks before Trump, who has promised to promote domestic energy production, is sworn in.

Trump vowed to undo Biden's recent executive orders, though it's unclear if he would be able to reverse the decision to block oil drilling, considering he was blocked in 2019 when he tried to reinstate drilling in areas blocked off by former President Barack Obama.

Despite Trump's assertion that Biden's White House has not been helpful during the transition, his incoming chief of staff Susie Wiles has said otherwise. She told in an interview published Monday the White House has been helpful during the transition process.

"White House chief of staff Jeff Zients has been very helpful. He has made great suggestions, helped make sure we stay on time with required functions, helped us navigate the labyrinth that is the Executive Office of the President, and been very professional," she said. -- PTI

Army personnel have been engaged to rescue the nine labourers trapped inside a coal mine in Assam's Dima Hasao district, officials said on Tuesday.

A relief task force with specialists such as divers and sappers, equipped with essential tools, reached the site in Umrangso to rescue the miners, a defence spokesperson said.

'Engineers task force with equipment, divers and medical teams from the Indian army and the Assam Rifles have joined the rescue efforts', he said.

All efforts are underway in close coordination with the civil administration to rescue the trapped people, another official said.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma thanked the army for extending their help in the rescue operations.

'Much gratitude for this quick response. We are deploying all possible efforts to ensure the safe return of our miners', the chief minister posted on 'X'.

NDRF and SDRF personnel are also at the site to rescue the miners trapped inside the coal mine.

Two water pumping machines were also put into use to flush out the water, an official said.

Since Monday, nine labourers have been trapped inside the mine at the Assam Coal Quarry, situated in the 3 Kilo area of Umrangso after a sudden gush of water flooded the site.

11:06 Zendaya, Tom Holland are engaged: Reports

Spider-Man co-stars Tom Holland and Zendaya are engaged.

The news comes after Zendaya stepped out for the 2025 Golden Globe Awards on Sunday flashing a massive diamond ring on her left-hand ring finger to the shutterbugs.

Holland, however, gave the ceremony a miss.

A family source confirmed to People magazine that Holland and Zendaya, both 28, got engaged during the Christmas and New Year's holidays.

Another source told the publication that "everyone close to them knew an engagement was happening", adding Holland had been keen to propose to Zendaya "for a while".

"He's always been crazy about her. He always knew she was the one. They have something very special," the source added.

Holland and Zendaya, however, are in no hurry to get married.

"They will just enjoy things for now and won't rush a wedding. They are both busy with work projects. Tom's always had this sweet way of letting the world know that Zendaya is his. Now, it's official, she really is."

The actors will return for the currently untitled fourth Spider-Man film that will start filming in summer. They met on the sets of 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, which starred Holland as the titular superhero/ Peter Parker and Zendaya as his classmate and love interest, MJ.

Holland and Zendaya, both 28, reprised their characters in 2019's Spider-Man: Far from Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).

They are also set to star in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. -- PTI

Top Telugu actor Allu Arjun on Tuesday visited the boy, who is undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Hyderabad after suffering serious injury in a stampede at the premiere of his latest film Pushpa 2.

Earlier, Arjun scheduled to visit the hospital on January 5 but the plan was cancelled.

The actor is added as accused No 11 in the case filed after a woman died and her eight-year-old son sustained serious injuries in the stampede on December 4.

During Allu Arjun's visit to the hospital on Tuesday, Telangana State Film Development Corporation (FDC) Chairman Dil Raju was also present.

Security was enhanced at the hospital in view of the actor's visit.

The SHO of Ramgopalpet Police Station had issued a notice to Allu Arjun regarding his proposed visit to the hospital and advised him to keep it confidential so that public order could be maintained in and around the hospital.

The SHO said police would make necessary arrangements for his visit.

The Pushpa actor had earlier said that he remained deeply concerned about the boy, who is under constant medical care after the incident. He wished the boy a speedy recovery and said he is looking forward to meeting him and his family, but was advised not to due to ongoing legal proceedings. -- PTI

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck and jolted the city of Xigaze in Tibet Autonomous Region in China on Tuesday, killing at least 32 people and injuring 38, state media reported.

The quake jolted Dingri County in the city of Xigaze in Tibet Autonomous Region in China at 9:05 am Tuesday (Beijing Time), according to regional disaster relief headquarters.

Thirty-two people were killed and 38 injured during the 6.8-magnitude earthquake, state-run Xinhua reported.

The epicentre was monitored at 28.5 degrees north latitude and 87.45 degrees east longitude.

The quake struck at a depth of 10 km, according to a report issued by the China Earthquake Networks Centre, state-run Xinhua reported. -- PTI

10:14 Thick fog delays 25 trains in Delhi

Thick fog blanketed Delhi early Tuesday, reducing visibility and delaying 25 trains. The city recorded a minimum temperature of 10.5 degrees Celsius.

"Minimum visibility of 150 metres in dense fog with northwesterly winds at 11-13 kmph was reported over Palam between 5 and 5.30 am, gradually improving to 700 metres in shallow fog with westerly winds at 13 kmph by 8.30 am," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.

At Safdarjung, the minimum visibility was 500 metres, it said.

Due to the foggy weather, a total of 25 trains were delayed till 6 am, an official said.

The minimum temperature in Delhi increased marginally to 10.5 degrees Celsius, 3.6 notches above normal, from 9.6 degrees Celsius on Monday, according to the IMD.

The humidity level was 92 per cent at 8.30 am.

The weather office has forecast very dense fog during the day with the maximum temperature expected to settle around 19 degrees Celsius.

Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) remained in the 'very poor' category with a reading of 303 at 9 am, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

An AQI between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'. -- PTI

09:49 US Congressman takes oath on Bhagavad Gita

Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, who is the first Indian American Congressman from the East Coast, took oath of office on Gita, making him the only lawmaker from the community to do so on the holy Hindu book this year.

Subramanyam's mother, who immigrated through Dulles Airport, watched her son being sworn-in on the Bhagavad Gita.

Tulsi Gabbard, 43, the first Hindu American to be ever elected to the US House of Representatives, was the first lawmaker to take the oath on Gita. She was first sworn on January 3, 2013 representing the second Congressional District of Hawaii as a member of the House of Representatives.

Gabbard, who converted to Hinduism as a teenager, is now a nominee for the powerful position of Director of National Intelligence.

"My parents got to see me sworn in as the first Indian American and South Asian Congressman from Virginia," Subramanya said in a statement after his swearing in.

"If you had told my mother when she landed in Dulles Airport from India that her son would go on to represent Virginia in the United States Congress, she might have not believed you, but my story is the kind of promise that America holds. I am honoured to be the first, but not the last, as I represent Virginia's 10th in Congress," he said.

A former policy advisor to ex-president Barack Obama, he has served in the Virginia General Assembly since first getting elected in 2019.

In Richmond, Subramanyam founded the bipartisan "Commonwealth Caucus a bipartisan group of legislators focused on finding common ground.

He passed landmark legislation to lower toll costs for commuters, issue refunds to overcharged consumers, combat the rise in gun violence, and ensure all students have access to top-notch education. -- PTI

09:41 Trump certified 2024 US election winner

A joint session of the US Congress presided over by Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday formally certified the November 5 presidential elections, paving the way for the swearing-in of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States on January 20.

Harris, 60, presided over the ceremonial function of the joint session during which votes from each of the states were tallied and certified during the ceremony that lasted for about 45 minutes. Harris, who was the Democratic presidential candidate, lost to Trump in the November 5 general elections. She presided over the joint session in her capacity as the vice president of the United States.

"The state of the vote for the president of the United States as delivered to the President of the Senate is as follows. The whole number of the electors appointed to vote for President of the United States is 538. Within that whole number the majority is 270. The votes for president of the United States are as follows: Donald J Trump of the State of Florida has received 312 votes. Kamala D Harris of the State of California has received 226 votes," Harris announced.

She made a similar announcement for the election results of the Vice President. Ohio Senator J D Vance, the running mate of Trump, received 312 votes, Harris announced.

Vance, 40, was physically present during the joint session of the Congress in his capacity as the US Senator from Ohio. As soon as the certified results were announced, several of the Congressmen and Senators walked to him to congratulate him.

"CONGRESS CERTIFIES OUR GREAT ELECTION VICTORY TODAY A BIG MOMENT IN HISTORY. MAGA!" Trump said in a post of Truth Social ahead of the joint session.

The joint session to certify the results of the presidential elections was held amidst unprecedented security.

The entire event was smooth and peaceful but reminded one of the chaos and scenes outside and inside the US Capitol four years ago when thousands of MAGA and Trump supporters forced entered the US Capitol. They were agitated by the election results of November 2020 in which Trump lost to Joe Biden. The insurrection in 2021 had resulted in the death of five people.

The Congressional proceedings on Monday marked the first certification after Congress passed changes to the Electoral Count Act to raise the threshold for mounting objections.

"Then-President Trump and his allies had sought to exploit ambiguities in the arcane law to overturn the results of the 2020 election," Politico reported.

In late 2022, the Congress had passed a bill which made the Vice President the ceremonial role to count the votes with no power to change the votes. -- PTI

A Delhi bound Air India flight on Sunday made an emergency landing after one of its engines shut off midair, sources in the airport said.

According to sources, the flight 2820 took off on Sunday evening at about 7 pm from the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru.

It returned an hour later after revolving around Bengaluru, the sources added.

"It happened day before yesterday. We don't have the technical details but the flight made an emergency landing," a source told PTI on Tuesday.

He also said that no untoward incident happened and all the passengers were safe. -- PTI

08:57 EC to announce Delhi poll dates at 2 pm today

The Election Commission will on Tuesday announce the schedule for polls to the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

The Commission has convened a press conference at 2 pm on Tuesday to announce the election schedule. The term of the 70-member Assembly ends on February 23, and elections have to held before that to constitute a new House.

Delhi has traditionally seen assembly polls in a single phase. -- PTI

A strong earthquake jolted Kathmandu early morning on Tuesday. The earthquake measuring 7 magnitude on Richter scale was recorded by the National Earthquake Measurement Centre at 6.50 am.

The epicentre of the earthquake was Dinggye, China, according to the centre.

The tremors were strongly felt in Bihar, with people seen outside their homes and apartments.

However, there are no reports of any damage so far due to the earthquake.

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00:41 Fire breaks out in 11th floor flat of Andheri highrise, no report of injuries

A major fire broke out in an 11th floor flat of a 13-storey residential building in Andheri West in Mumbai on Monday, though there was no report of anyone getting injured, officials said.

The blaze erupted in Sky Pan building in Oberoi Complex at 10pm, they added.

"There is no report of injuries to anyone. Four fire tenders and other equipment of the Mumbai Fire Brigade have been deployed. Firefighters are at the spot along with police, 108 ambulance service, power and utilities staff. The operation to douse the fire is underway," an official said. -- PTI

BJP's Kalkaji candidate Ramesh Bidhuri/File image

00:22 BJP rejects Bidhuri's remarks on Priyanka, Atishi

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday disapproved of its senior leader and Kalkaji candidate Ramesh Bidhuri's controversial remarks on Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, saying gender or family related comments need to be avoided by politicians.

Bidhuri on Sunday drew flak for his remarks that he will make roads in Kalkaji which will be like "Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks" and targeting Atishi over dropping her surname.

Even as Bidhuri expressed regret following uproar over his remark against Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress lashed out at him alleging his statement reflected anti-women sentiment of the BJP.

The AAP has also attacked Bidhuri and the BJP over his remark on Sunday in which he said Atishi replaced her surname "Marlena" with "Singh" and went on to add she "changed her father".

On Monday, Delhi BJP media department head Praveen Shankar Kapoor in a statement said that political leaders should refrain from making "personal gender related or family related comments" against others.

He, however, added "Atishi Marlena" while seeking apology from former MP Bidhuri should herself ponder on the issue.

"As an individual or elder, we all respect Atishi Marlena's father but as Marlena is a Chief Minister, the people of Delhi want her to once for all come forward and condemn her father for supporting Afzal Guru or justify her parents' act," Kapoor said in the statement. -- PTI

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