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Sat, 15 April 2017
Army chief discusses border, law and order situation with J&K governor
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20:55 Army chief discusses border, law and order situation with J&K governor
The Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat today visited Jammu and met Governor N N Vohra whom he apprised of the law and order and the border situation in the state.
Recent incidents of stone-pelting during the bypolls also came up for discussion, it is learnt.
Rawat arrived in Jammu late this afternoon and met Vohra at Raj Bhawan, an army officer said.
The two have discussed various various issues regarding polls, security grid and law and order situation in Kashmir besides border situation.
The Army chief briefed him about enhanced vigilance and deployment on the Line of Control in J&Km apart apart from the counter-militancy operations the army is undertaking in the Valley, the officer added. -- PTI
IMAGE: Army chief General Bipin Rawat with J&K Governor N N Vohra in Jammu on Saturday. Photograph: ANI
Recent incidents of stone-pelting during the bypolls also came up for discussion, it is learnt.
Rawat arrived in Jammu late this afternoon and met Vohra at Raj Bhawan, an army officer said.
The two have discussed various various issues regarding polls, security grid and law and order situation in Kashmir besides border situation.
The Army chief briefed him about enhanced vigilance and deployment on the Line of Control in J&Km apart apart from the counter-militancy operations the army is undertaking in the Valley, the officer added. -- PTI
IMAGE: Army chief General Bipin Rawat with J&K Governor N N Vohra in Jammu on Saturday. Photograph: ANI
19:57 NBW against Sanjay Dutt in case of threatening filmmaker
A Mumbai court on Saturday issued a non-bailable warrant against Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt over him allegedly threatening filmmaker Shakil Noorani.
In April 2002, Noorani alleged that Dutt had promised a film with him but at the last minute cancelled doing it.
He also claimed to have received death threats from underworld goons on behalf of the actor.
Sanjay has skipped two court cases in this matter earlier. Now as compensation, Noorani wants Dutt to repay him Rs 50 lakh signing amount and Rs 2 crore for the loss.
The actor has filed a review petition against Supreme Court's decision. -- ANI
In April 2002, Noorani alleged that Dutt had promised a film with him but at the last minute cancelled doing it.
He also claimed to have received death threats from underworld goons on behalf of the actor.
Sanjay has skipped two court cases in this matter earlier. Now as compensation, Noorani wants Dutt to repay him Rs 50 lakh signing amount and Rs 2 crore for the loss.
The actor has filed a review petition against Supreme Court's decision. -- ANI
19:12 Rajya Rani derailment: ATS team visits spot, probes sabotage angle
A team of the Anti-Terrorism Squad inspected the Meerut-Lucknow Rajya Rani Express derailment spot.
The visit comes after the UP police said they suspect sabotage behind the incident.
The Railways also said that defects in the track could be due to 'extraneous factors' as they could not develop suddenly.
A three-foot portion of the railway track was found missing, the police had said earlier.
"We are investigating; will submit report to senior officials," B Srivastava, additional superintendent of police, ATS said. -- Agencies
The visit comes after the UP police said they suspect sabotage behind the incident.
The Railways also said that defects in the track could be due to 'extraneous factors' as they could not develop suddenly.
A three-foot portion of the railway track was found missing, the police had said earlier.
"We are investigating; will submit report to senior officials," B Srivastava, additional superintendent of police, ATS said. -- Agencies
18:07 Hoardings saying 'Chant Yogi, Yogi or leave UP' appear in Meerut
Hoardings declaring that people should chant 'Yogi Yogi' if they wanted to live in Uttar Pradesh have been put up across the city purportedly by the district unit of the Hindu Yuva Vahini.
The hoardings have also come up near the residences of senior administration and police officials, including the District Commissioner.
They carry photographs of the prime minister, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Neeraj Sharma Panchali, who claims to be the district unit chief of the youth brigade founded by Adityanath.
'Pradesh mein rehna hai to Yogi Yogi kehna hai (Chant Yogi Yogi if you want to live in the state),' reads one such hoarding.
Senior Superintendent of Police J Ravindra Gaur said that he has asked for a detailed report in the matter from the local intelligence unit.
"Only after we get the report a case can be registered and action taken," he said.
When contacted, Nagendra Pratap Singh, a member of the state unit of the Yuva Vahini, however, said Panchali was removed from the post of district unit chief a month ago and that 'he was indulging in such acts to defame the organisation'.
The hoardings have also come up near the residences of senior administration and police officials, including the District Commissioner.
They carry photographs of the prime minister, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Neeraj Sharma Panchali, who claims to be the district unit chief of the youth brigade founded by Adityanath.
'Pradesh mein rehna hai to Yogi Yogi kehna hai (Chant Yogi Yogi if you want to live in the state),' reads one such hoarding.
Senior Superintendent of Police J Ravindra Gaur said that he has asked for a detailed report in the matter from the local intelligence unit.
"Only after we get the report a case can be registered and action taken," he said.
When contacted, Nagendra Pratap Singh, a member of the state unit of the Yuva Vahini, however, said Panchali was removed from the post of district unit chief a month ago and that 'he was indulging in such acts to defame the organisation'.
17:58 Pak security forces foil major terror attack on Christians
Pakistan's security forces today claimed to have foiled a 'major terror attack' on minority Christians in Lahore ahead of Easter after they killed a militant and arrested his two aides, including a woman.
'Security forces (Pakistan Rangers and police) today conducted a special IBO (intelligence based operation) near Punjab Housing Society, Lahore. A terrorist was killed during the operation while four soldiers and two officers received injuries,' the military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, said in a statement.
The terrorists were planning to launch a major terrorist attack during Easter celebrations in Lahore, the statement said. Two suicide jackets, weapons and explosives have been recovered from the possession of the terrorists.
According to officials, a joint team of security forces conducted today's raid on a tip-off.
The team asked the terrorists to surrender but they opened fire on it.
In an exchange of fire, a terrorist was killed. The team managed to arrest two terror suspects, including a woman.
Last year, at least 72 people have been killed and hundreds wounded after a bomb ripped through a children's play area in Lahore's Iqbal Park where Christian families were celebrating Easter.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban, had claimed responsibility for the attack. -- PTI
'Security forces (Pakistan Rangers and police) today conducted a special IBO (intelligence based operation) near Punjab Housing Society, Lahore. A terrorist was killed during the operation while four soldiers and two officers received injuries,' the military's media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations, said in a statement.
The terrorists were planning to launch a major terrorist attack during Easter celebrations in Lahore, the statement said. Two suicide jackets, weapons and explosives have been recovered from the possession of the terrorists.
According to officials, a joint team of security forces conducted today's raid on a tip-off.
The team asked the terrorists to surrender but they opened fire on it.
In an exchange of fire, a terrorist was killed. The team managed to arrest two terror suspects, including a woman.
Last year, at least 72 people have been killed and hundreds wounded after a bomb ripped through a children's play area in Lahore's Iqbal Park where Christian families were celebrating Easter.
Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban, had claimed responsibility for the attack. -- PTI
16:41
JUST IN: Singapore Open: India's Kidambi Srikanth wins against Indonesia's A Sinisuka by 21-13,21-14; will play against India's Sai Praneeth in finals. -- ANI
16:40 20 injured in clash between protesters, security forces
At least 20 people were on Saturday injured in a clash between protesters and security forces in Pulwama town in south Kashmir.
A group of youths started shouting slogans and hurling stones at security forces near Degree College, Pulwama, this afternoon, a police official said.
The security personnel resorted to baton charge and fired several tear smoke shells to disperse the protestors.
At least 20 people were injured in the clash, he said. There were unconfirmed reports of security forces firing a few warning shots in the air. -- PTI
Representative image.
A group of youths started shouting slogans and hurling stones at security forces near Degree College, Pulwama, this afternoon, a police official said.
The security personnel resorted to baton charge and fired several tear smoke shells to disperse the protestors.
At least 20 people were injured in the clash, he said. There were unconfirmed reports of security forces firing a few warning shots in the air. -- PTI
Representative image.
16:34 Modi holds roadshow in Bhubaneshwar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds a roadshow in Bhubaneshwar.
He arrived in Odisha's capital about half-an-hour ago to attend the party's national executive meeting which started today.
Modi will also felicitate the members of 16 families associated with an 1817 rebellion in Odisha against the British rule.
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He arrived in Odisha's capital about half-an-hour ago to attend the party's national executive meeting which started today.
Modi will also felicitate the members of 16 families associated with an 1817 rebellion in Odisha against the British rule.
Also read
16:16
UPDATE: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah wins Srinagar Lok Sabha bypoll, demands imposition of Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir.
16:01
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for BJP's national executive meeting in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Photograph: ANI
15:26 Long-term policy needed to resolve Kashmir issue: Parrikar
Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Friday advocated a long-term policy to tackle the Kashmir issue. He also said that there was a lot of pressure on him when he was the defence minister.
"It is not easy to resolve the Kashmir issue. There is a need for a long term policy to resolve the Kashmir issue," Parrikar said.
Read more.
"It is not easy to resolve the Kashmir issue. There is a need for a long term policy to resolve the Kashmir issue," Parrikar said.
Read more.
15:23 Rajya Rani derailment: UP cops not ruling out sabotage
A three-feet portion of the track where eight coaches of the Rajya Rani Express derailed in Rampur today was missing and sabotage angle cannot be ruled out, Uttar Pradesh police said.
K K Chaudhri, Rampur superintendent of police, who visited the accident site, said the track was found broken and some of its portion buried.
"Sabotage cannot be ruled out," he said when asked about possible reasons behind the accident. A railway source in New Delhi also said the derailment was caused, prima facie, due to the rail fracture.
"Weld was found broken. But the reason of the fracture would be ascertained through investigation only," the source said.
Chaudhri said an investigation has been initiated and entire fact would come out only after its completion.
The accident occurred two kilometers from Rampur junction and about 100 meters from the Kosi river bridge. -- PTI
Photograph: Sandeep Pal
K K Chaudhri, Rampur superintendent of police, who visited the accident site, said the track was found broken and some of its portion buried.
"Sabotage cannot be ruled out," he said when asked about possible reasons behind the accident. A railway source in New Delhi also said the derailment was caused, prima facie, due to the rail fracture.
"Weld was found broken. But the reason of the fracture would be ascertained through investigation only," the source said.
Chaudhri said an investigation has been initiated and entire fact would come out only after its completion.
The accident occurred two kilometers from Rampur junction and about 100 meters from the Kosi river bridge. -- PTI
Photograph: Sandeep Pal
14:52 Sindhudurg: 8 college students on picnic drown in sea
Eight college students from Karnataka's Belgaum district today drowned in the sea off the Vayri coast in Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra, police said.
They were part of a group of 60 students from the Maratha Engineering College in Belgaum who were in the area on a picnic, police said.
Three students have been rescued and are under medical observation.
Further details are awaited. -- PTI
Image for representation only.
They were part of a group of 60 students from the Maratha Engineering College in Belgaum who were in the area on a picnic, police said.
Three students have been rescued and are under medical observation.
Further details are awaited. -- PTI
Image for representation only.
14:48 SDF wins Upper Burtuk assembly seat in Sikkim
Sikkim Democratic Front candidate Dilli Ram Thapa today won the Upper Burtuk assembly seat defeating his nearest Bharatiya Janata Party rival by a margin of 8,032 votes.
While the SDF candidate secured 8,406 votes, Suresh Khanal Sharma of the BJP got 374 votes.
The Congress candidate Sumitra Rai bagged 98 votes, an Election Commission official said.
Five Independent candidates contesting from the seat got 449 votes out of the total votes polled.
NOTA vote share stood at 100, the official said.
The bypoll was necessitated following the disqualification of sitting MLA Prem Singh Tamang (Goley), who was accused of misappropriation of funds during his tenure as the state Animal Husbandry department minister in 1996-97. -- PTI
While the SDF candidate secured 8,406 votes, Suresh Khanal Sharma of the BJP got 374 votes.
The Congress candidate Sumitra Rai bagged 98 votes, an Election Commission official said.
Five Independent candidates contesting from the seat got 449 votes out of the total votes polled.
NOTA vote share stood at 100, the official said.
The bypoll was necessitated following the disqualification of sitting MLA Prem Singh Tamang (Goley), who was accused of misappropriation of funds during his tenure as the state Animal Husbandry department minister in 1996-97. -- PTI
13:46 Taking all measures to gain consular access to Jadhav: V K Singh
Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh on Saturday said the government was taking all measures to gain consular access to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav despite Pakistan denying it '13 times'.
"Pakistan government has denied consular access to Jadhav despite India trying for 13 times. We are trying everything to get access to Jadhav," he said talking to reporters.
Singh maintained that Jadhav was abducted from Iran.
A Pakistan military court had on April 10 sentenced Jadhav to death in a secret trial for alleged involvement in 'espionage and sabotage activities' in restive Balochistan and Karachi.
According to the Vienna Convention, the State whichdetains a national of another country must allow consular officers of the other country to access the detainee.
India had yesterday said it would appeal against the death sentence and demanded from Pakistan a certified copy ofthe charge-sheet as well as the army court order in the case, besides seeking consular access to the retired Indian navy officer. -- PTI
"Pakistan government has denied consular access to Jadhav despite India trying for 13 times. We are trying everything to get access to Jadhav," he said talking to reporters.
Singh maintained that Jadhav was abducted from Iran.
A Pakistan military court had on April 10 sentenced Jadhav to death in a secret trial for alleged involvement in 'espionage and sabotage activities' in restive Balochistan and Karachi.
According to the Vienna Convention, the State whichdetains a national of another country must allow consular officers of the other country to access the detainee.
India had yesterday said it would appeal against the death sentence and demanded from Pakistan a certified copy ofthe charge-sheet as well as the army court order in the case, besides seeking consular access to the retired Indian navy officer. -- PTI
13:04 Sharad Yadav likely to be Opposition's Presidential candidate
R Rajagopalan reports:
Former Janata Dal-United chief and Rajya Sabha member Sharad Yadav is likely to be projected as the common candidate of the entire Opposition for the Presidential election scheduled to be held in July.
Sources in the Congress and the Left parties are discussing his name.
Another name which came up for discussion was that of Vice President Mohammed Hamid Ansari.
However, he is said to be not keen to contest as the numbers are with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Being a former diplomat, he is satisfied with a 10-year term as the Vice President, which will end in August 2017.
Sources said 12 opposition parties, which were contacted by Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury, have in principle agreed on Yadav's name.
The CPI-M wants to ensure that the BJP candidate for the Presidential poll is not elected unopposed and there is a token fight.
Former Janata Dal-United chief and Rajya Sabha member Sharad Yadav is likely to be projected as the common candidate of the entire Opposition for the Presidential election scheduled to be held in July.
Sources in the Congress and the Left parties are discussing his name.
Another name which came up for discussion was that of Vice President Mohammed Hamid Ansari.
However, he is said to be not keen to contest as the numbers are with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Being a former diplomat, he is satisfied with a 10-year term as the Vice President, which will end in August 2017.
Sources said 12 opposition parties, which were contacted by Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury, have in principle agreed on Yadav's name.
The CPI-M wants to ensure that the BJP candidate for the Presidential poll is not elected unopposed and there is a token fight.
12:52 Jadhav sentence fallout: India-Pak Coast Guard talks cancelled
Following the current state of hostility between India and Pakistan, high level talks between the Indian Coast Guard and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency have been cancelled, sources say.
The Coast Guard talks are an annual event and for this year's round, the DG PMSA with a three-member delegation was supposed to visit India as the last meeting was held in Pakistan.
The meetings began as in 2003, the two governments decided to improve 'coast guard to coast guard' communication.
The Memorandum of Understanding regarding the same was signed in 2005 with a hot line was set up in 2006.
Tensions between the two neighbours escalated recently after a Pakistani military court sentenced Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to death on charges of espionage and subversive activities in Pakistan. -- ANI
The Coast Guard talks are an annual event and for this year's round, the DG PMSA with a three-member delegation was supposed to visit India as the last meeting was held in Pakistan.
The meetings began as in 2003, the two governments decided to improve 'coast guard to coast guard' communication.
The Memorandum of Understanding regarding the same was signed in 2005 with a hot line was set up in 2006.
Tensions between the two neighbours escalated recently after a Pakistani military court sentenced Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav to death on charges of espionage and subversive activities in Pakistan. -- ANI
12:45 Bihar: 7 cops, one Naxal killed in prison van-truck
Seven policemen and a hardcore Naxal were killed when a prison van dashed into a truck in Bihar's Sitamarhi district today.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Town), Ashish Anand said the accident happened near Gaighat village under the jurisdiction of Runnisaidpur police station around 5 am.
The prison van was carrying two hardcore Naxals from Bhagalpur to Sitamarhi court, he said.
Twelve policemen were also in the van. One Naxal and seven policemen died after the accident, he said, adding another ultra and five other policemen were admitted to Sri Krishna Memorial College and Hospital.
The prison van driver Munna Singh was among the dead. The DSP said that while four policemen died on the spot,the Naxal and three other policemen died on the way to SKMCH.
The DSP said all injured policemen and the seriously injured Naxal were later shifted to a private hospital. -- PTI
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Town), Ashish Anand said the accident happened near Gaighat village under the jurisdiction of Runnisaidpur police station around 5 am.
The prison van was carrying two hardcore Naxals from Bhagalpur to Sitamarhi court, he said.
Twelve policemen were also in the van. One Naxal and seven policemen died after the accident, he said, adding another ultra and five other policemen were admitted to Sri Krishna Memorial College and Hospital.
The prison van driver Munna Singh was among the dead. The DSP said that while four policemen died on the spot,the Naxal and three other policemen died on the way to SKMCH.
The DSP said all injured policemen and the seriously injured Naxal were later shifted to a private hospital. -- PTI
12:03
UPDATE: Srinagar Lok Sabha bypoll: National Conference's Farooq Abdullah set to win, leads by 9,199 votes over PDP's Nazir Ahmad Khan. -- ANI
11:54 Srinagar bypoll: Farooq Abdullah extends lead
Counting for Srinagar Lok Sabha bypoll began on Saturday morning, with early trends giving a lead to National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.
Abdullah, who was eralier leading by 1,047 votes, extended his lead to 5,600 votes later.
There are nine candidates contesting for the seat, but it is a direct contest between Abdullah and the ruling Peoples Democratic Partys Nazir Ahmed Khan.
Abdullah, 79, had lost the seat to PDP's Tariq Hameed Karra in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. -- Agencies
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Abdullah, who was eralier leading by 1,047 votes, extended his lead to 5,600 votes later.
There are nine candidates contesting for the seat, but it is a direct contest between Abdullah and the ruling Peoples Democratic Partys Nazir Ahmed Khan.
Abdullah, 79, had lost the seat to PDP's Tariq Hameed Karra in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. -- Agencies
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11:11
Just In: Railways announces Rs 50,000 as compensation for those injured in the Rajya Rani Express derailment.
10:57 Pakistan charges 3 PoK residents with being R&AW agents
The police in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir have claimed that they have arrested three suspected R&AW agents for their alleged involvement in anti-state activities, according to a media report today.
The masked suspects were produced before the media during a briefing in Rawalkot, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper has reported.
The three were residents of Taroti village in Abbaspur in PoK, according to the report.
Sajid Imran, deputy superintendent of police in Poonch, said the main suspect Khalil had visited Kashmir in November 2014, where he came in contact with Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) officials.
Imran said the three suspects were involved in a bomb blast outside a police station in Abbaspur in September. They allegedly planted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).
The DSP claimed Khalil was offered Rs 500,000 for the task.
The police were alerted to their involvement in the blast after an individual said he spotted the trio in Abbaspur on the night of September 26 with a shopping bag in their possession, the report said.
The suspects have been booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and Explosives Act, Imran said.
10:35 Update: Prabhu orders probe into Rajya Rani express derailment
Eight coaches of the Meerut-Lucknow Rajya Rani Express derailed near Rampur in Uttar Pradesh today, leaving at least two passengers injured, railway officials said.
The accident happened between Mundapandey and Rampur railway stations, Northern railway spokesperson Neeraj Sharma said.
He said while two passengers have been injured in the accident, there was no casualty.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has ordered an enquiry to ascertain the causes behind the accident.
"Personally monitoring situation. Directed senior officers to rush to the spot. Ensure speedy relief and rescue operations," he posted on Twitter.
Prabhu said strict action will be taken against those found guilty.
The Moradabad divisional railway manager has reached the spot to oversee the rescue and relief operations. A medical team has also reached the spot, Sharma said.
Earlier, police officials in Rampur had said 15 passengers were injured and been rushed to hospital.
10:27 Air China to suspend flights to North Korea from Monday
Air China has decided to suspend its flights between Beijing and North Korean capital Pyongyang.
The suspension of service will go into effect from Monday, according to the Chinese state media.
A representative of Air China told CNN the temporary suspension was done due to weak sales.
The suspension comes in the wake of rising tensions in the peninsula. North Korea has been facing pressure from the United States to curtail its programmes related to the development of nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities.
China, on the other hand, acts as an economic bedrock for North Korea. The biggest source of foreign currency for North Korea stands to be China, to which it sells millions of tonnes of coal.
Earlier, on Tuesday, US President Donald Trump, in a series of tweets, called on China to "solve the North Korean problem".
Trump tweeted, "I explained to the president of China that a trade deal with the US will be far better for them if they solve the North Korean problem!"
10:17
Just In: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah is leading by 1047 votes in the Srinagar Lok Sabha bypoll after two rounds of counting.
09:54 Media kept out of counting hall in Srinagar
The media is not being allowed to enter the counting hall for the Srinagar LS bypoll, and the authorities are not sharing any information with journalists waiting at the counting centre, reports PTI.
09:52 Meerut-Lucknow Rajya Rani Express derails in UP
Just In: Eight coaches of the Meerut-Lucknow Rajya Rani Express derailed today near Kosi bridge in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, injuring 15 passengers, the police said. However, a railway spokesperson said there were no casualties.
09:18 FIR against 3 TN ministers for obstructing income-tax raids
Three Tamil Nadu ministers, a senior state government official and the driver of state health minister were booked by the police on Friday for allegedly obstructing and threatening income-tax officials while they were carrying out searches in Chennai last week.
An FIR was filed against food minister R Kamaraj, handlooms and textiles minister Udumalai Radhakrishnan and information and publicity minister Kadambur Raju on the complaint of an income-tax official with the Chennai police commissioner.
The complaint has been filed against them for obstructing raids at Tamil Nadu health minister Vijayabaskar's residence. I-T officials last week raided several premises belonging to Vijayabaskar and his relatives in Chennai and other districts in the wake of complaints that he was involved in cash distribution to voters in R K Nagar constituency where a by-election was to be held on April 12.
The I-T department also conducted searches on the premises of actor and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi leader R Sarathkumar, former All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) legislator Chitlapakkam Rajendran and vice-chancellor of Dr MGR Medical University S Geethalakshmi.
By-polls in Chennai's R.K. Nagar constituency, which was earlier represented by late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, were cancelled by the Election Commission after the cash-for-votes allegations surfaced.
The decision came after income-tax raids in Chennai found money was being distributed to voters. The I-T officials had alleged that the Sasikala faction of the AIADMK paid Rs 89 crore to voters to buy support for its candidate TTV Dinakaran, who is also Sasikala's nephew.
As evidence, the department had cited documents seized during raids on Friday in more than 35 places -- including Vijayabaskar's property.
09:00 Update: If India retaliates Pakistan cannot fight back: Parrikar
Former defence minister Manohar Parrikar has said Pakistan is playing a "dangerous game" in the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death in the neignbouring country on charges of spying.
"Pakistan is playing a dangerous game. Pakistan should understand that if India starts retaliating then it does not have the power to fight back, whatever they may project themselves to be," the Goa chief minister told Doordarshan in an interview which was aired on Friday evening.
"But, we want peace. We do not want provocation. So they should send Jadhav back," he said.
"First of all, they have abducted him. He was not in Pakistan. He was in Iran. Iran has said that the Taliban kidnapped him and took him to Pakistan. Pakistan has a habit of doing something or other," Parrikar said.
"....(External Affairs Minister) Sushma Swaraj has given an apt reply -- 'we will not keep quiet' (if Pakistan executes Jadhav). The country will do what is required. We can take care of Pakistan if it tries to do anything ill-advised," he said.
A military court in Pakistan has sentenced Indian naval staff Jadhav to death for alleged espionage. The Indian government reacted strongly to the development saying if the sentence were to be carried out it would be considered as "pre-meditated murder".
08:58 Bifurcate Valley to house Pandits, nationalist forces: Panun Kashmir
An organisation of Kashmiri Pandits has demanded the "bifurcation" of Kashmir to carve out a separate homeland for displaced "Pandits and nationalist forces" as it termed the Valley as an "ungoverned region".
"Kashmir Valley has virtually become an ungoverned area. The separatists and anti-India forces have become powerful. There is virtually no space left for the nationalist forces," Ajay Chrungoo, chairman, Panun Kashmir, told reporters.
Chrungoo said, "The time has come when the government should bifurcate Kashmir and crave out a homeland for Kashmiri Pandits". "The policies pursued by the Government of India in Jammu and Kashmir have failed because it has relied upon harnessing soft-separatism instead of nourishing nationalism.
"The prime minister should personally intervene and abandon the Agenda of Alliance, the common minimum programme between PDP and BJP on the basis of which the government was formed in the state," he said.
08:54 IAF chopper combats forest fire near Mt Abu
A major fire broke out in the forest area near Mount Abu in Sirohi district of Rajasthan, prompting the Indian Air Force to deploy an MI-17 chopper to douse the flames.
The fire broke out in the morning and spread over several kilometres.
The administration is making use of a modified MI-17V5 helicopter to put out the blaze, district collector Abhimanyu Kumar said.
The affected area is close to Mount Abu, the sole hill station in the state, where a large number of tourists arrive in the summer season. However, tourist activities remained unaffected in the area, a police official said.
A defence spokesperson said: "The helicopter unit at Phalodi in Jodhpur swung into action on receiving a call from the state government, seeking help in dousing a massive forest fire in the hills fast progressing towards the inhabited areas assisted by winds."
A suitably modified MI-17V5 helicopter reached the site and conducted a quick aerial recce before the operation for which it drew water out of Nakki lake in the middle of Mount Abu.
The IAF team managed to push in seven sorties dropping close to about 20,000 litres of water over the spread of fire dangerously close to the inhabited areas, the spokesperson said.
Image used for representational purposes only.
08:49 2nd Romanian held in Kenya for Kerala ATM fraud
A Romanian national was arrested on Friday in Kenya for his alleged role in a high-tech case of ATM fraud in Kerala last year, the police said.
Ionut Alexandru Marinoiu, the second Romanian involved in the case, was arrested on the basis of a red corner notice issued by the Interpol based on the Kerala police's recommendation.
The police said efforts are being made to bring Ionut to Kerala.
He is the second Romanian to be arrested in the case involving six accused.
Earlier, on August 10 last year, another Romanian national, suspected to be behind the ATM fraud case along with two other foreigners, was arrested in Mumbai.
The police had then said three Romanians were involved in the racket, in which they had allegedly obtained the details of bank customers and withdrawn their money using fake ATM cards.
The police suspect that the electronic device at the ATM counter had enabled the fraudsters collect the secret PIN and card details.
08:31 Former J&K governor Gary Saxena is dead
Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Girish Chandra Saxena, whose tenure saw a significant decline of militancy in the Valley, died in New Delhi on Friday after a brief illness. He was 90.
Saxena breathed his last after he was rushed to a hospital following breathlessness, his brother and former cabinet secretary Naresh Chandra said.
The funeral pyre of Saxena, who served as the governor of the troubled state twice, was lit by his grandson Varun in the presence of political leaders and senior bureaucrats, including National Security Advisor A K Doval.
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit, BJP leader Yashwant Sinha and serving and retired officers from RAW and Intelligence Bureau also gathered at the crematorium to pay their last respects to Saxena.
Born in Agra in 1928, Saxena, an IPS officer of the 1950 batch of Uttar Pradesh cadre, who also headed the country's external intelligence agency RAW from 1983 to 1986, is survived by his wife and two daughters.
He first took charge as the Jammu and Kashmir governor on May 26, 1990, barely a few days after the religious head of Muslims in Srinagar Mirwaiz Farooq was gunned down by the Hizbul Mujahideen..
He was credited with the revival of intelligence gathering mechanism of the state police. His experience at RAW came in handy in discharging his duties from Raj Bhavan.
After his first stint as governor, Saxena was again brought to the state in 1998. He was lauded for his efforts which turned the state police into an effective counter-insurgency force.
"No militancy can be fought without the local police," he had once said during his second stint as governor.
Former J&K chief ministers, the father-son duo Farooq and Omar Abdullah, while condoling his demise, said a visionary has been lost.
"I recall my association with Governor Saxena. He was very cool in extreme situations and always had a humane approach to any problem," Farooq said.
Omar said, "It's a sad news for me. He (Saxena) had always guided me during my initial days in politics."
Image: A file photo from Rediff Archives of J&K governor G C Saxena in 2002.
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