One more child died in Baba Raghav Das Medical College hospital in Gorakhpur today, apparently due to encephalitis, raising to 72 the number of deaths in the hospital since August 7.

The child was admitted in the encephalitis ward of the medical college. According to the office of additional director health and family welfare, "One child died today in the encephalitis ward. As many as 15 fresh cases were admitted in the encephalitis ward today."

Till yesterday, the death toll in the hospital since August 7 was 71.

Six encephalitis-related deaths were reported between August 12 and August 14, while five encephalitis-related deaths were reported from August 15 to August 16.

Earlier, UP Health Minister Sidharth Nath Singh had said that 60 children died due to various diseases since August 7. -- PTI

Barcelona terror attack update: Local media says up to 13 dead.

The area around the incident has been cordoned off, with several police vehicles and ambulances there; locals said they could see helicopters in the sky.

Local media reports the police has ordered stores and nearby Metro and train stations to close. -- ANI

A van crashed into dozens of people in the centre of Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday in which two people were killed and several injured, city police said.

Agencies reported that two armed men have entered a restaurant in Barcelona after the van crash.

Police, which described the incident on Twitter as a 'massive crash', has termed it a 'terror attack'.

Emergency services said people should not go to the area around the city's Placa Catalunya, and requested the closure of nearby train and metro stations.

El Pais newspaper said the driver of the vehicle had fled on foot after mowing down dozens of people.

More details are awaited. -- Agencies

Image only for representation. Photograph: Susana Vera/Reuters

A 35-year-old Dalit woman's nose was allegedly slashed and her husband was beaten up by two members of an upper caste family at Renvjha village in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh.

Narendra Singh, 32, and his father Sahab Singh beat up the woman's husband on Monday when he refused to go to their house and do some work, inspector R S Bagri of Surkhi police station said.

When the woman was taking her husband to a hospital, Narendra and Sahab attacked her too, the police officer said.

Madhya Pradesh Women's Commission chairperson Lata Wankhede claimed that the woman's nose was cut.

Inspector Bagri said that she had sustained an injury to the nose, and police were waiting for the medical report.

The incident came to light yesterday when the woman went to a camp organised by the MPWC in the area to hear complaints of violation of women's rights, and narrated her ordeal to Wankhede.

The MPWC chief told reporters that the accused, who wanted to make the woman and her husband 'bonded labourers', had cut the woman's nose.

She had directed the police to arrest the accused and take strict action in the case, Wankhede said. Bagri said the police registered a case under section 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code and also under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, and were looking for the accused who were absconding.

"The woman is being treated at a hospital. We are waiting for doctor's report about the injury to her nose. If the report confirms serious injury to nose and internal injuries, harsher sections will be slapped against the accused," the inspector said.  --  PTI

Union minister Vijay Goel today termed as 'baseless' a report that the Delhi Development Authority had changed its norms to allot a plot of land to an NGO associated with him, even as the urban body said it was examining the matter.

"The 488-sqm land was alloted to VAES (NGO Vaish Aggarwal Education Soceity) under the socio-cultural category for setting up a toy bank-cum-play centre for underprivileged children. No norm was violated and we followed the entire due procedure," he told reporters.

"The report is fabricated, concocted and without any facts," he said.

According to the report published in a national daily today, the Delhi Development Authority changed the norms and layout plan of the plot which was earlier 'earmarked for a post office'.

"Change of layout plan is a routine activity which is done by the DDA on a regular basis. In fact, as mentioned in the report itself, this plot was recommended for temple construction as one of the 291 cases cleared at a (DDA) meeting in February 2003," Goel said.

A senior DDA official, when contacted, said, "We have taken note of the report and the matter is being examined."

Rejecting the charge, Goel claimed, "The report said I was the vice-president of VAES, but I resigned from that post in 2013 itself. I am not even active in day-to-day activities of VAES.

"Toy bank is a project started for the underprivileged children, and it was formally inaugurated in 2005. Through this project, the NGO has distributed over five lakh recycled toys across 16 states. It is a social work. Why is my name being dragged as a minister here," he said.

At a press conference, the AAP alleged that rules were 'altered' by the DDA to facilitate transfer of the plot in Model Town in New Delhi.

The party also mounted an attack on the urban body alleging that the land was being made available to a Bharatiya Janata Party minister, but not to the Aam Aaadmi Party government to carry out developmental work.

AAP's Delhi unit secretary Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed the DDA changed norms, layout plan of the land, initially earmarked for building a post office, and alloted it to VAES.

"From the very start, the VAES-run school, which shares its boundary with this prime plot, had an eye on it," Bhardwaj alleged.

He said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Health Minister Satyendar Jain and the health secretary had written to the DDA on several instances, asking for land for mohalla clinics, bus depots, but their demand 'has not been met yet'.

Model Town MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi said that Rs 8 crore had been deposited with the DDA so that a land could be allotted in the area for construction of a hospital to cater to children and women.

"However, we have not got land from the DDA despite several requests," the AAP MLA alleged.  -- PTI

Pakistan was 'disappointed' with the United States' decision to designate the Kashmiri terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen as a foreign terrorist organisation and the move was 'unjustified', the Foreign Office said today.

The US yesterday designated the Hizbul Mujahideen as a foreign terrorist group, nearly two months after declaring its Pakistan-based chief Syed Salahuddin as a global terrorist.

"Declaring organisations or groups supporting freedom struggle in Kashmir as terrorist outfits is completely unjustified," Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said during his weekly press conference in Islamabad.

He said the US decision did not take into account 'the 70-year struggle of Kashmiris'.

"We are disappointed (with the US decision) in view of the fact that Kashmir is an internationally recognized dispute," he said.

He reiterated Pakistan's 'moral, diplomatic and political support to Kashmiri people's struggle'.

Formed in 1989, Hizbul Mujahideen is one of the largest and oldest terrorist groups operating in Kashmir.

Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.  -- PTI

IMAGE: Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin. Photograph: ANI

A Kolkata court today discharged Gorkha Janmukti Morcha supremo Bimal Gurung in the Madan Tamang murder case and directed that charges be framed against 47 other accused.

Kolkata Sessions Court Chief Judge Kundan Kumar Kumai discharged Gurung from the case rejecting the Central Bureau of Investigation's contention that the GJM chief was involved in the conspiracy to murder the All India Gorkha League leader, one of his political opponents in the Darjeeling hills.

The court, however, directed that charges be framed against all other 47 accused, including Gurung's wife Asha and several other top leaders of GJM.

It fixed August 28 for framing of charges against the accused persons.

The counsel for Gurung had claimed that he was in Kalimpong on the day of the death and that the CBI could not provide any proof that he was involved in the conspiracy to kill Tamang.

The CBI had filed cases against all the accused persons for murder and criminal conspiracy.

It had claimed that it was a premeditated murder to prevent any other political party from holding meetings or rallies in Darjeeling hills, where the GJM held sway through 'coercive' measures.

Tamang was attacked with sharp weapons when he was overseeing preparations for a public meeting at Clubside in the heart of Darjeeling town on May 21, 2010, and was declared brought dead at the sadar hospital there.

All the accused had filed discharge petitions before the court, which passed the order after hearing their advocates and that of CBI for several days.

The CBI opposed the discharge petitions and prayed for framing of charges against the accused. The Supreme Court had on October 8, 2013, directed transfer of hearing in the case from Darjeeling sadar court to the city sessions court in Kolkata on a petition by Tamang's widow Bharati.

She had claimed that witnesses could be impacted if the trial was held in Darjeeling.  -- PTI

Mokka Page @MokkaPage tweeted a comparison: Sea of people in #Cochin on street to see #SunnyLeone @SunnyLeone

The very gorgeous Sunny Leone was in the city of Kochi in Kerala today for the launch of Phone 4 Digital Hub showroom at MG Road.

And every single man in the city, young and old, turned out to see her.

Or so it seems from this picture.

The actress, who has two upcoming films, Baadshaho and Bhoomi, tweeted this picture, saying, @SunnyLeone " My car in literally a sea of love in Kochi Kerala!! Thanks #fone4."

People waited for hours to catch a glimpse of her and reports say the cries of Sunny! Sunny! rend the air.

Sunny tweeted her thanks saying, she was overwhelmed by the love and support shown by the people. No wordsCant thank the people of Kochi. Was so overwhelmed by the love & support. Never will forget Gods own Country Kerala! Thank you #fone4.


Her followers on Twitter quipped, @varier_megha
"I'm convinced unemployment is real. Look at the crowd to see actor #SunnyLeone in Kochi. Same crowd will be there for any actor btw!"

While Vishnudev Unnikrishn @vishnud3v tweeted:
Sachin...Sachin
Modi...Modi
Sharukh...Sharukh
now Sunny...Sunny
We love Sunny
We #Malayalis like dat. We love unconditionally #WeLoveSunny

The defence ministry clears procurement of 6 AH-64E Apache choppers worth 4,168 crore for the Indian Army. Details awaited.

Stocks consolidated their gains today after US Fed minutes signaled uncertainties over near-term rate hikes. RBI's own concern over inflation in its minutes dragged banking stocks down. Auto and healthcare shares too registered losses.


"Investors showed confidence despite some volatility after the US Fed's minutes stating uncertainties over near term rate hikes due to benign inflation. The opportunity from recent correction and the announcement of share buyback from IT major supported sentiment," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Financial Services.


The benchmark Sensex, which stayed up for most part of the day, hit a high of 31,937.51 on the back of rally in the Infosys stock following the company's buyback proposal and unabated buying by domestic institutional investors.


However, it succumbed to profit-booking before closing up by 24.57 points, or 0.08 per cent, at 31,795.46. The gauge had gained 557.30 points in the previous two sessions.


The NSE Nifty, after recapturing 9,900, advanced to hit a high of 9,947.80, but ended at 9,904.15, up 6.85 points, or 0.07 per cent. Infosys, the country's second largest IT exporter, zoomed most by 4.54 per cent, after the company said the board will take up a proposal for buyback of shares on Saturday, helping the key indices post gains for the third day in a row. Mid-and small-cap indices closed mixed.

Just in: The two warring AIADMK factions inch closer to a merger with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami agreeing to two demands of the O Panneerselvam faction.

The OPS faction had set three conditions for the merger. The removal of TTV Dinakaran and his aunt VK Sasikala from key posts in the party. EPS is however reluctant to disown Sasikala openly, but had announced last week that no decision taken by Dinakaran will be binding on the party. In a resolution passed by the party, 7 office-bearers of the EPS faction AIADMK (Amma) signed a resolution against Dinakaran requesting the party cadre to reject the appointments made by him.

The EPS faction has now agreed to fulfill the other two demands  -- ordering a judicial probe into the death of former CM J Jayalalithaa and turning her Poes Garden residence into a memorial.

The merger talks between two factions of the AIADMK have been on for several weeks now. Leaders from both the O Panneerselvam faction and the Edappadi Palaniswami faction have made multiple trips to New Delhi.

Delhi court issues production warrant against Medha Patkar for non-appearance in defamation cases involving her and KVIC chief V K Saxena.

Pakistani human-rights and education advocate Malala Yousafzai has been accepted to study at the University of Oxford in the UK.

The excited 20-year-old tweete: So excited to go to Oxford!! Well done to all A-level students - the hardest year. Best wishes for life ahead!" along with a screen shot of her acceptance into the prestigious university.

Yousafzai, an Pakistani education activist who came to prominence when a Taliban gunman shot her in the head in 2012, has been a resident of the UK.

She was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace shared with child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi, in 2014. She also received a honorary Canadian citizenship and praised Canada's open embrace of refugees under the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.


Image: Malala receiving her A-level certificate in school. Picture:  Darren Staples/Reuters

Veteran photographer S Paul died at a private hospital in New Delhi after suffering from illness for the last few months, leaving a void behind in the field that he excelled in with panache. Born on August 19, 1930, in Pakistan, Paul died last night, a few days shy of turning 87 on World Photography Day. He was the elder brother of renowned photographer Raghu Rai.

The Reserve Bank still has room to cut the key policy rate in the current fiscal, veteran banker Naina Lal Kidwai has said, while stressing that banks should pass on the benefits of lower rates to customers.

RBI reduced the repo rate by 0.25 per cent to 6 per cent earlier this month, citing reduction in inflation risk. The rate cut was the first in 10 months and brought policy rates to near 7-year low.

"There is clearly room for further rate cuts. But the rate cut from RBI is not good enough. The rate cut has to happen from the way banks engage with industry, and that is a function on how efficient the banks are, what are their NPAs, their losses," Kidwai told PTI on the sidelines of a conference in the national capital.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday launched a scathing attack at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and said he does not belong to the Janata Dal (United ) (JD(U)), but the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) (United).

"Nitish Kumar's JD(U) is fake, real JD(U) is of Sharad Yadav. Nitish Kumar's party is now BJP - United," Azad said in New Delhi today.

Azad, who came to attend the 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao' programme organised by senior JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav in Delhi, went on to slam the Centre saying that the country is under severe threat and danger.

"Whatever is happening in our nation is not in favour of anyone. They sing slogan of uniting the country, but, on the contrary, they divide the country. So their slogan is just to show off and in actual they believe in dividing the nation. The people of the nation should wake up. If this continues, then it will become difficult to stand together at a time of difficulty," he added.

The 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao' programme is being attended by the leaders of the Opposition parties, intellectuals, farmers, Dalits and tribals from across the country.

Manipur civil rights activist Irom Sharmila married her long-time partner Desmond Coutinho, a British national, under the Special Marriage Act at the Sub-Registrar's office here this morning.

The wedding was held in the presence of Sub-Registrar Radhakrishnan with Coutinho putting the ring on Sharmila's finger. It was a simple function and the families of the bride and groom were absent.

Earlier, the couple married under the Hindu Marriage Act and were asked by the Sub-Registrar to register it under the Special Marriage Act as their wedding was an inter-religious one. Sharmila told reporters that Kodaikanal was a peaceful place and her search for peace had ended here. The rights activist said she would raise her voice for the welfare of tribals in Kodaikanal hills.

The wedding was objected to by a local activist V Mahendran, who contended that if the couple stayed in the hills, tribals in the area would face law and order problems.

However, the sub-registrar rejected the objection, clearing the decks for Sharmila's wedding with Coutinho. The couple had submitted their application for marriage registration under the Special Marriage Act on July 12 and the Sub-Registrar had called for objections, if any, within 30 days time.

A group of tribals in the area, including Palani Malai Pulaiyan and Paliyar had submitted a memorandum to the Sub- Registrar in support of the Sharmila-Coutinho wedding.

Sharmila had moved to this hill town with Coutinho following her defeat in the Manipur Assembly elections in March last in which her party 'People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance' had been routed.

The 44-year-old activist had shot to fame after launching an indefinite fast on November 4, 2000, demanding withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from Manipur. Sharmila, also known as the 'Iron Lady', broke her 16-year-long fast, the world's longest, on August 9, 2016 and declared that she wanted to become the chief minister so she could repeal the contentious AFSPA.

The Delhi Police was today sent into a tizzy after it received a call that the Delhi High Court will be blown up. The call was received by the control room around 11 am from a man who claimed to have planted bombs inside the court complex, police said. The bomb squad was alerted and the court scanned. However, the call was found to be a hoax, they said. The police are on the lookout for the caller who has since switched off his phone.

Lashkar's Ayub Lelhari killed in an encounter. He was also involved in civilian killings, bank robberies in the state. A AK47 rifle, magazines, ammunition have been recovered, says Lt Col Ashish Jhingan

The Delhi High Court today expressed concern over children allegedly committing suicide while playing the 'Blue Whale' Challenge, a internet suicide game, that has been allegedly linked to the deaths of several children worldwide.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar also wondered why adults were getting into this game, in which dangerous tasks like self-inflicting of wounds on the body, are assigned to the player by administrators during a 50-day period.

The bench said it can understand children getting influenced, but why were adults getting involved in it. "If an adult is told to do a task, why would he/she go and jump from a building," it said, adding that "we are wondering why both children and adult are doing this".

The high court, however, refrained from passing any order on the plea seeking direction to the internet companies including Google, Facebook and Yahoo to take down the links of the Blue whale. It wished to know whether the government has issued any prohibition order with regard to downloading of the Blue Whale game.

The court also sought to know from the petitioner, advocate Gurmeet Singh, whether any such incident has happened in Delhi. It asked the petitioner whether any prohibition order can be passed today and fixed the matter for further hearing on August 22.

Two days ago, the Ministry of Electronics and IT had directed the internet majors - Google, Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram, Microsoft and Yahoo - to immediately remove the links of the deadly Blue Whale Challenge, which has led several children in India and other countries to commit suicide.

The Trinamool Congress won the Dhupguri municipality bagging 12 of the 16 seats results of which declared today. The TMC is followed by BJP which garnered four seats while the Left and the Congress drew a blank, officials said.

The TMC also won the by-election in Jhargram municipality.

The death of a CPI candidate necessitated the ballotting. As per trends, the TMC is leading in all the five municipalities, Durgapur Municipal Corporation and also in the Cooper's Camp Notified Authority in Nadia district where polling was held on August 13.

Polling was held in seven ULBs comprising five municipalities of Panskura and Haldia in East Midnapore district, Nalhati in Birbhum, Buniadpur in South Dinajpur and Dhupguri in Jalpaiguri districts, the Durgapur Municipal Corporation (DMC) in Burdwan West district and the Cooper's Camp Notified Authority in Nadia district A by-election was also held in Jhargram municipality.


Image: A TMC supporter wears the party anthem 'Ma Mati Manush' on her sari at a rally in Kolkata. The picture was tweeted by TMC MP Derek O'Brien. 

"Colonialism was certainly a far more traumatising experience for colonial subjects than their colonisers. They suffered poverty, malnutrition, disease, cultural upheaval, economic exploitation, political disadvantage, and systematic programmes aimed at creating a sense of social and racial inferiority.

"While some may argue that any suffering on the part of the British colonialists ought to be met with little sympathy, this is not a reason to obscure it from history.It was the very notion that Indian civil service servicemen were usurpers, full of privilege, in a foreign land that led to the sapped sense of humanity that many wrestled with'"both during and after their India careers."  Read the column here.

Delhi High Court on high alert after police received a call about a bomb threat; Police, SWAT teams, fire tenders and bomb squad at the spot. Details awaited.

There are an estimated 40,000 Rohingya refugees all over India with 7,000 in Tamil Nadu. Some 18 Rohingya families live on the outskirts of Chennai. The ground plus one storey building has been allotted to them by the Tamil Nadu government, and houses 93 refugees. A ground report by A Ganesh Nadar.
Do read


IMAGE: Mohammad Yusuf is 28 years old, but seems a lot older. Photograps: A Ganesh Nadar

The Delhi High Court expresses concern over children allegedly committing suicide while playing the 'Blue Whale challenge' game. The court wishes to know whether the government has issued a prohibition order with regard to downlinking of the Blue Whale game. The court also wondered why adults are also influenced by this online game.  Details awaited.

Also read: Blue Whale challenge allegedly claims 2 lives in Kerala

HDFC Bank Ltd today announced a revision in its savings bank interest rate effective August 19, 2017. After the revision, customers maintaining savings bank account balance of Rs 50 lakh and above will continue to earn interest at 4% per annum. Customers maintaining account balance of below Rs 50 lakh will earn interest at 3.5% per annum. The revised rates will be applicable to both resident and non-resident customers.

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who heads a Left Front government in the state, has alleged that Doordarshan and All India Radio refused to broadcast his Independence Day address unless he reshaped it.

Doordarshan Kendra, Agartala has refuted the allegations. 

A PTI report from Agartala quoted a statement from the Chief Ministers Office: The Chief Minister clearly stated that he would not change a single word and described it as unprecedented, undemocratic, autocratic and intolerant step.

This is the full text of the CM's speech reproduced from the Indian Express.

"On the occasion of Independence Day, I convey my greetings and best wishes to you all. I pay my homage to the great memory of the martyrs of Indias freedom struggle. I would also like to offer my personal regards to those freedom fighters who are amongst us today.

"Independence Day is not just a ceremonial occasion. Keeping in view the historical significance and tremendous emotional attachment to this day for Indians, it has to be treated as an important ceremonial occasion for national introspection. Before us on this years Independence Day are quite a few very relevant, important and contemporary issues.

"Unity in diversity is Indias traditional heritage. Great values of secularism have helped in keeping Indians together as a nation. But today, this spirit of secularism is under attack. Conspiracies and attempts are underway to create an undesirable complexity and divisions in our society; to invade our national consciousness in the name of religion, caste and community, by inciting passions to convert India into a particular religion country and in the name of protecting the cow. Because of all these, people of minority and Dalit communities are under severe attack. Their sense of security is being shattered. Their life is in peril. These unholy tendencies cannot be harboured or tolerated. These disruptive attempts are contrary to the goals, dreams and ideals of our freedom struggle.

"The followers of those who were not associated with the Independence movement, rather sabotaged the freedom movement, were servile to the atrocious, plundering and merciless British, aligned with the anti-national forces, having decorated themselves today in different names and colours are striking at the root of unity and integrity of India. Every loyal and patriotic Indian must take the pledge today to remain committed to the ideal of a united India and counter the attempts towards such destructive conspiracies and attacks. We must all collectively strive to ensure the security of minorities and Dalits and preserve the unity and integrity of our country.

"Today, the gulf between the haves and have-nots is widening. The nations vast resources and wealth are being concentrated in the hands of a few. A large majority of our people are suffering from poverty. These people are the victims of inhuman exploitation. They are being deprived of food, shelter, clothing, education, healthcare and security of job for assured income.

"This is contrary to the aims and objectives of our Independence struggle. Our current national policies are squarely responsible for this state of affairs. Such anti-people policies shall have to be reversed. But words alone will not achieve this. For this, we need the deprived and the suffering Indians to arise, become vocal and protest fearlessly, collectively. We definitely need an alternative policy that serves the interests of the vast majority of Indians. To bring this alternative policy into reality, the deprived and suffering Indians need to take a pledge on this Independence Day to launch an economic, political and social movement.

"The mounting problem of unemployment has created a sense of despondency and gloom in our national psyche. On the one hand, lakhs of employed are loosing their jobs; on the other hand, crores of unemployed youth are waiting for jobs. It is not possible to solve this gigantic national problem without reversing the national economic policies which work to strengthen the very small group of profiteering corporates, and without increasing the purchasing power of the common people of India. Hence, the students, youth, and working classes will have to take pledge on this Independence Day to launch a collective and continuous movement to reverse these destructive policies.

"In contrast to the anti-people policies of the government at the Centre, the state government of Tripura despite its limitations has been pursuing policies for the welfare of people in all walks of life with a special focus on the downtrodden and to advance forward with their cooperation. This is a totally different and an alternative path. This path has been able to not only attract the people of Tripura but also elicit a positive response of the downtrodden people of our country. This is not being tolerated by the reactionary forces here in Tripura.

"Hence, conspiracies are being hatched up by the enemies of the people to disturb peace, fraternity and integrity of the state. And at the same time, attempts are on to disrupt the realm of developmental works. We need to counter all these unholy designs and isolate the reactionary forces. In this background, on this Independence Day, all the right-thinking, peace-loving and development-seeking people of Tripura need to take a determined pledge to come forward and work unitedly against such disruptive forces."


Image: Tripura CM Manik Sarkar at the Independence Day parade in Agartala. PTI Photo.

The Supreme Court on Thursday will hear former Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit's bail plea in the Malegaon blast case.

The apex court on 14 August announced that it will hear the bail plea of the Malegaon blast case accused, former Lieutenant Colonel Shrikant Prasad Purohit on 17 August.

A division bench of the apex court, headed by Justice R. K. Agrawal and also comprising Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar, decided to hear the bail plea.

The Bombay High Court had earlier dismissed the bail plea of Lt. Col Purohit.Lt. Col Purohit then moved the apex court challenging the Bombay High Court's order and seeking bail in the case.

Besides Lt Col Purohit, Sadhvi Pragya is also an accused in the Malegaon blast case.

On September 2008, a blast at Malegaon killed six and injured 101 other.
-- ANI

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday tore into the Centre as the Justice AK Roopanwal Commission report concluded that no one was responsible for the death of the University of Hyderabad (UoH) research scholar Rohith Vemula.

The report had further said that the Dalit scholar was a troubled individual.

"The government stands more exposed in front of the people as they ordered an inquiry from retired high court judge. There is a huge difference between Judicial Commission of Inquiry under Inquiries Act and a probe headed by a retired judge," Owaisi told ANI.

He further said that it is 'obnoxious' to say that Vemula was not a Dalit, when the whole world knows that his mother is a Dalit and his father was an OBC.

"To say that he is not a Dalit is to ensure that the student Dalit movement which is gaining traction throughout the country and which is exposing the biasness towards village community is stopped to give a bad name to him," he said.

Further stressing on the same he said that no matter how much the Centre tries, the people know that government is trying to cover up their own mistake and that Rohith would have been alive but for the high-handed and the dictator attitude of the staff over there.

As per the report made public by the Roopanwal Commission Vemula committed suicide of his own volition. -- ANI

Also read: Rohit Vemula's last words.

The BJP on Thursday said that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is not competent enough to comment on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech. BJP leader Jafar Islam said that Gandhi needs to understand the situation of the country.

"A person who doesn't know the difference between Amma and Indira is not competent enough to speak about the Independence Day speech by the Prime Minister," said Islam.

Echoing similar sentiments, another BJP leader S Prakash said that Gandhi needs to refrain from making irresponsible statements.

"He said that the Chinese premiere came to India and he was entertained by Prime Minister Modi. He should not be making these statements as these can lead to sparks between the two nations," said Prakash.

Earlier on Wednesday, Gandhi cornered Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that the latter gave the shorted speech as he has nothing to talk about now.

"My mother went to at Red Fort on August 15. She told me later that PM gave a very short speech. PM Modi is reducing the duration of his speeches as now he has nothing to talk about," Rahul said in a public meeting in Karnataka.  -- ANI

What the PM said in his 56-minute speech on I-Day.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cited some figures linked to demonetisation in his Independence Day speech, prompting the Opposition to ask how he can quote exact amounts if the RBI is still counting the recalled notes. Read more