M I Khan reports from Patna

Flood situation continued to remain grim in Bihar on Saturday with the death toll rising to 202 and number of flood-affected people increased to 121.56 lakh, an official of Bihar disaster management department said.

"The flood situation remains grim in 18 districts in Bihar," the official said.

Reports of protest by flood victims is reaching the capital from the worst hit districts of Kishanganj, Gopalganj,West Champaran, Araria, Purnea, Katihar and Sitamarhi.

Protesting flood victims blocked roads demanding relief.

According to an official release of the department, so far 202 people have died.

The highest number of 42 deaths has been reported from Araria district, followed by 31 in Sitamarhi, 29 in West Champaran,13 in Supaul, and 12 in Madhubani district.

However, unconfirmed reports reaching Patna say the death toll is over 250.

Bihar disaster management department officials said that 121.56 lakh people in 1,842 panchayats under 164 blocks in 18 districts have been affected by the calamity.

According to them, about 6,25,788 people have been evacuated to safe places by the rescue teams in the last five days and the government has set up 1,336 relief camps in which 4,22,106 people are living.

"For the flood victims about 1,879 community kitchens are running in the state," the official said.

Bihar disaster management department principal secretary Pratyaya Amrit told Rediff.com that relief materials were air dropped in West Champaraan's Sugauli, Gaunaha, Chaanpatia, Narkatiagaanj and Purnea, Araria and Kishanganj districts on Saturday.

IMAGE: An aerial view of a flood-hit area at Bal Bal in Betiah in West Chaparan, Bihar on Friday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Expressing deep condolences at the loss of lives in the derailment of several coaches of the Puri-Haridwar-Kalinga Utkal Express which took place near Khatauli railway station in Muzaffarnagar, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to the next kin of any passengers from state killed in the accident.

He also announced relief of Rs 50,000 for injured.

Patnaik has further directed Commerce and Transport Department to work in coordination with the Indian Railway and the Uttar Pradesh government to help the injured and victims. -- ANI

Railways spokesperson Anil Saxena says 14 coaches of Utkal Express got derailed.

Earlier, it was said that five coaches derailed.

"At this stage nothing can be said about the cause of accident," he said.  

Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu announces ex gratia of Rs 3.5 Lakh for those who lost their lives in the Utkal Express derailment in Muzaffarnagar.

Rs 50,000 will be given to seriously injured and Rs 25,000 to people with minor injuries.  -- ANI

IMAGE: People gather near the site of Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express derailment in Khatauli near Muzaffarnagar on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Extremely pained by the derailment of the Utkal Express in Muzaffarnagar, tweets Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Utakl Express derailment update: Anand Kumar, Additional Director General (Law and Order) says 10 passengers have been killed while 30-40 seriously injured in the accident.

"30 ambulances have reached the spot," Kumar said.

IMAGE: Coaches of the Puri-Haridwar Utkal Express after it derailed in Khatauli near Muzaffarnagar on Saturday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Indian Railways spokesperson Anil Saxena confirms that four passengers have died in the derailment involving Utkal Express in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh.

Additional Director General (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said that about 50 people have been injured in the accident.

A team of UP Anti-Terrorism Squad has been sent to the spot, though there is no confirmation of the terrorism angle, Kumar said.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, meanwhile, said that he doesn't know exact number of  casualties but is in a constant touch with the railway ministry.

"Our two ministers Satish Mahana and Suresh Rana have been sent to the spot," Adityanath said.

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu tweeted, 'Spoke to UP CM requesting for rescue op, he's doing all possible, working closely with all authorities to help'. -- ANI

Former Censor Board Chief Pahlaj Nihalani has hit out at the Centre for continuous interference in the release of movies like Udta Punjab, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Indu Sarkar.

Nihalani said in an interview to Lehren Television that in all cases he was under tremendous pressure from the government, and had to take the flak when actually he was just following directions, a report in The Citizen said.

The Union home ministry, he said, wrote to him to stop the release of Bajrangi Bhaijaan during Eid citing law and order as the reason.

He also said that as he was from the film industry, he did not buy into the arguments of 'love jihad and all that'.

Read full story HERE

Utkal Express derailment: Minister of State for Railways, Manoj Sinha to visit the accident site with seniors officers.

The real story behind children saluting the national flag in chest-deep floodwater.

UPDATE: Ambulances reach the Muzaffarnagar train derailment site in Uttar Pradesh. NDRF teams have been mobilised. UP ATS has also left for the spot.

Nine companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary have been issued orders to immediately reach Khatauli to extend help in relief and rescue operations.

Photograph: ANI

Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu said he is personally monitoring the situation and he has instructed senior officers to 'reach the site and ensure speedy rescue'.

'Have instructed Chairman Railway Board, Member Traffic to oversee rescue and relief operations,' Prabhu tweeted.

'Medical vans rushed to the site. All efforts being taken to ensure speedy relief and rescue operations,' he said in another tweet.

'Have ordered inquiry to ascertain the cause. Strict action will be taken against any lapse,' Prabhu tweeted.

Northern Railways CPRO Neeraj Sharma said that, as per reports, there are injuries to a few passengers.

"DM Muzaffarnagar is about to reach the train derailment site," he said.

Sharma said alternative vehicles for stranded passengers are being arranged.

"As many as 15-20 passengers injured according to unverified initial reports," Sharma said.

However, Anil Saxena of the Indian Railways said there is no authentic information on casualties right now.

"We are trying our best to mobilise resources for rescue/relief ops. The incident took place at 5.50 pm today. Five coaches of the train have derailed. There could be injuries in this accident," Saxena said.

According to latest reports, first National Disaster Response Force team with 44 rescuers and two search dogs is about to reach the derailment site in Muzaffarnagar's Khatauli.

Meanwhile, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath tweeted, 'Sad incident, injured passengers will be given complete treatment. Directions issued for all possible assistance.' -- ANI

Photograph: ANI

A family court in Rajasthan's Bhilwara district has granted a divorce plea filed by a woman on the premise that there was no separate room for the couple and no toilet in the house, holding that it amounted to 'cruelty' to her.

While passing the judgment, family court judge Rajendra Kumar Sharma said that toilet at home was necessary for the family and going to defecate in the open was 'disgraceful' for society and a 'torture' to women.

The woman, in her 20s, 'contended that her husband was cruel to her, there was no separate room for the couple in the house and no toilet'.

Her counsel, Rajesh Sharma, said that the woman got married in 2011 and filed the divorce petition in 2015.

The couple had no child and the husband was working as a labourer.

Women in villages have to wait for dark to go out to relieve themselves and they have to bear physical pain, the court said.  -- PTI

Train derailment update: National Disaster Response Force teams mobilised for rescue operation at Khatauli railway station in Muzaffarnagar.

JUST IN: Six coaches of Puri-Haridwar-Kalinga Utkal Express have been derailed in Muzaffarnagar's Khatauli, Uttar Pradesh.

More details awaited.

Photograph: ANI

Rebel Janata Dal-United leader Sharad Yadav on Saturday launched a veiled attack at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for forging an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party and said the promise of grand alliance was for five years.

Yadav, who was sacked as JD-U's Rajya Sabha leader said that JD-U is his party and that the grand alliance remains intact.

"We promised to continue this alliance for at least five years. The public gave us opportunity. The manifesto is our commitment for five years. The people of Bihar vested faith in us. I am not happy with alliance breaking," he said during Jan Adalat programme in Patna.

Yadav launched a veiled attack at the JD-U faction led by Nitish Kumar and said he contributed in forming the party and now he was being asked to leave it.

"I formed the party and some people are telling me that this is not my home. People are raising questions over my intention. I went to attend JD-U's national executive committee meeting but they didn't allow me to participate and said that I don't belong to their party," he added.

Yadav, who is miffed with Nitish Kumar for severing ties with grand alliance and joining hands with the BJP, had earlier called for a convention 'Sanjhi Virasat Bachao' in Delhi on Thursday with an aim to safeguard the 'composite culture' of India. -- ANI

Photograph: PTI Photo

A high intensity blast shook Darjeeling in the early hours today, the first such incident since the indefinite shutdown to press for separate Gorkhaland state began over two months ago.

There was no report of any casualty but several shops were destroyed in the blast which was suspected to have been set off by Gorkhaland supporters near the motor stand in the hill town's Chowkbazar area, police said.

"The blast took place in the early morning at around 12:15 am-12:30 am. The blast was triggered when a police patrol van was patrolling the area," a senior police official said.

Today is the 66th day of the indefinite shutdown in the hills.

Inspector General of Police Darjeeling range, Manoj Verma said, "A few days ago it was reported that a huge amount of explosives were stolen from a power plant in Bijanbari area".

"We suspect that these are the same explosives that were used. We suspect the hand of GJM supporters behind this blast. We have started an investigation and are on a lookout for the culprits," the IGP said, adding a forensic team will visit the blast site today.

The police have cordoned off the entire area.

The GJM leadership was, however, unavailable for any comment.  -- PTI

All members of President's Committee on the Arts & the Humanities resigned, including actor Kal Penn and author Jhumpa Lahiri, in response to the remarks made by President Donald Trump in which he avoided condemning participants in a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville earlier this week.

Here is their letter of resignation.

Photograph: Kind courtesy @kalpenn/Twitter

M I Khan reports from Patna

Janata Dal-United general secretary K C Tyagi on Saturday said that there is no split in the party as all the leaders and workers are with party president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"Party mein koi division nahi hua hai (there has been no division in the party)," Tyagi said while addressing a press conference in Patna after the conclusion of JD-U's national executive meeting.

Tyagi said head of the party's 16 different committees are with Kumar.

He said in Bihar, all 71 party MLAS, 30 MLCs and two Lok Sabha MPs and most of Rajya Sabha MPs are with Kumar, except Sharad Yadav and Ali Anwar.

However,Tyagi said that party has not acted against Sharad Yadav for his anti-party activities.

"But we will take action against him after August 27 if he attends (Rashtriya Janata Dal chief) Lalu Prasad Yadav's rally in Patna," he said.

A manhunt is underway across Europe to find the main suspect, the driver of the white Renault Kangoo van that was involved in the terror attack on Las Ramblas in the heart of Barcelona, amid fears that he may have crossed into France.

Investigators have said that the Barcelona and Cambrils terror attacks are closely linked as that was hatched in a house that the plotters had used as a bomb factory, Telegraph reported.

An explosion at a house in Alcanar, which is about 125 miles southwest of Barcelona took place before the Las Ramblas attack.

Police currently believe the Barcelona and Cambrils incidents were planned in Alcanar -- linking all three events.

Catalan police chief Josep Lluis Trapero said that explosives were found in the Alcanar property and that police 'are working on the hypothesis that these attacks were being prepared in that house'.

Around 13 people were killed and 100 injured in three terror-related incidents in Catalonia, Spain, including attack in Barcelona.

Younes Abouyaaqoub, 22-year old Moroccan national, is believed to be the driver of the white van involved in the attack on Thursday afternoon, but was not among those shot dead by security forces later that night, according to Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Security officials believe the attacks on Barcelona and Cambrils were the work of a terror cell of at least 12 people, who may have been inspired by the London Bridge outrage in June.

The driver is feared to be still at large after plotting the Barcelona terrorist attacks and police and security services were hunting for the remaining members of a Moroccan-born terror cell, amid fears that they could be preparing further attacks at popular tourist areas, Telegraph reported.

Police in Catalonia said they were searching for Abouyaaqoub, living in the Spanish town of Ripoll.

Mariano Rajoy, the Spanish prime minister, King Felipe VI and Carles Puigdemont, the president of Catalonia -- where both attacks took place -- held a minute of silence in Barcelona.  -- ANI

Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has said his party has not come to power for mere 5 or 10 years, but at least 50 years and called upon workers to strengthen the party and take it to every part of the country.

Shah also said that though the BJP appears to be at its peak with a majority government at the Centre and 1,387 MLAs in states the workers feel the party has still a long way to go.

'Today, we have a majority government at the Centre with 330 MPs, and also have 1,387 MLAs in different states. The party appears to be at its peak, but dedicated workers feel we have a long way ahead,' a BJP release today quoted Shah as saying at a meeting with partymen.

'We have not come to power for 5-10 years, but at least 50 years. We should move forward with a conviction that in 40-50 years we have to bring major changes in the country through the medium of power,' Shah said.

He was addressing the Madhya Pradesh BJP's core group members, office-bearers, MPs, MLAs and district chiefs, among others, at the party headquarters in Bhopal yesterday.

Shah arrived yesterday on a three-day visit to Madhya Pradesh for meetings with the BJP workers and office-bearers besides participating in various programmes as part of his 110-day nationwide tour.

The BJP president reminded the activists that the party has become a political force to reckon with due to hard work, dedication and sacrifice of its leaders over the years.

Today the BJP has become a party of 10-12 crore members because of many stalwarts who have dedicated their lives in building and strengthening the organisation, said Shah, according to the release.

'We have to ensure no place in the country is left where we don't have our flag. For this, we have to strengthen the organisation further,' Shah said.

'Character is the basis of our foundation,' he said, and called upon the BJP workers to ensure the party is present in every (polling) booth, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kamrup to Kutch.  -- PTI

Supporters of rival Janata Dal-United factions headed by Nitish Kumar and Sharad Yadav clashed outside the residence of the Bihar chief minister in Patna today, police said.

Riding two-wheelers without helmets, Yadav's supporters were escorting him from the airport to the S K Memorial Hall, the venue of their Jan Adalat programme, when they stopped outside the chief minister's residence on the way and shouted slogans.

The clashes took place when some of them carrying sticks and belts tried to enter Nitish Kumar's 1, Anne Marg residence -- opposite the Raj Bhavan.

Soon, Kumar's supporters, who had gathered there for JD -U National Executive Committee meeting came out and chased away Yadav's supporters, police said.

Yadav, who was in the car with suspended JD-U MP Ali Anwar, refused to comment on the incident and told reporters, "I will speak at the programme."

Patna Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Manu Maharaj who reached the chief minister's house on hearing of the trouble, told reporters that a probe would be conducted and the guilty would be punished.

"We will watch CCTV cameras and try to identify those behind the violence and act against them," the SSP said.

Asked about security arrangements and why Yadav was allowed to take that route, the SSP said the concerns would be part of the probe.

Parallel meetings were held in Patna by the rival JD-U factions headed by Kumar and Yadav.  -- PTI

A three-year-old toddler died in his mother's lap while he was being taken to home on foot after being treated at the Sadar hospital in Jharkhand's Gumla district.

The shocking incident took place on Friday.

The hospital authorities allegedly refused to provide Sarita Oraon, a widow, with an ambulance to return to her home which was 40 km from the hospital. -- ANI

Photograph: ANI

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi visits Gorakhpur, meets families of children who died at the BRD Medical College.

"In spite of being a five-time MP from Gorakhpur he (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) did nothing for the hospital," Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is accompanying Rahul, said.

Adityanath had earlier mocked Rahul's visit to the district, saying that Gorakhpur isn't a 'picnic spot'. -- ANI

M I Khan reports from Patna.

The Janata Dal-United has officially joined Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.

Party's national executive, which is underway at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's official residence, passed a resolution in this regard.

"A resolution in this regard was unanimously approved in the national executive meeting of the party," a seenior JD-U leader said.

He said that JD-U's national general secretary K C Tayagi moved a resolution to join the NDA that was approved in thee meeting.

He said a formal announcement will be made today itself after the national executive meeting is over.

The party's national executive began today at 1, Anne Marg, official residence of the CM, who is also the party's president.

Most of the JD-U leaders, including 70 MLAs of the party, two Lok Sabha MPs and seven Rajya Sabha MPs are participating in the meet.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today hit out at Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi over his planned visit to Gorakhpur, saying the 'yuvraj (prince) sitting in Delhi' cannot be permitted to make Gorakhpur 'a picnic spot'.

The chief minister, who inaugurated a cleanliness campaign in the district to tackle the deadly encephalitis outbreak in the wake of death of 71 children at the BRD hospital in Gorakhpur, also targeted Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

"I feel that the shehzada sitting in Lucknow ..yuvraj sitting in Delhi will not know the importance of this cleanliness campaign. They will come here to make it a picnic spot, we cannot permit it," he said, attacking Gandhi who is scheduled to meet the families of the victims and visit the BRD hospital today.

"If someone gives an open challenge to the self respect of the people of Gorakhpur and eastern UP ...they will themselves come forward to fight such dreaded diseases through their awareness," Adityanath stressed launching the 'Swachch Uttar Pradesh - Swasthya Uttar Pradesh campaign'.

Voicing hope that the campaign will be successful in checking encephalitis, he accused the previous governments of depriving the people of the state of basic facilities for their vested interests.

Stressing that more than treatment of encephalitis, checking its spread was important for which cleanliness and potable water were necessary, the chief minister said his government was working in this regard.

The chief minister, who has represented Gorakhpur in the Lok Sabha five times, will also tour encephalitis and flood-affected areas.

The Congress has targeted the Aditynath government over the deaths following allegations that the children who were critically ill succumbed due to oxygen shortage.  -- PTI

Ahead of the national executive committee meeting of the Janata Dal-United, the two factions of the party -- one led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the other by former party president Sharad Yadav -- have put up striking publicity material in Patna, leading up to a poster war in the city.

Incidentally, both factions claim to be the 'real JD-U'.

The poster put up by Sharad Yadav's faction showcases him with 'Jan Adalat ka faisla -- Mahagathbandhan jari hai (decision of the people's court -- the grand alliance continues)' written on it.

The other has Nitish with party leaders -- state JD-U chief Basistha Narayan Singh, R C P Singh and others.

'Nitish Kumar hi zindabad (hail only Nitish Kumar)', says the poster.

Sharad Yadav was sacked as JD-U's Rajya Sabha leader when he made his chagrin against Nitish Kumar snapping ties with the Lalu Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal and forging an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, to form the next government in Bihar, quite evident.

Yadav also asserted that Nitish's flip-flop, as far as his views on the BJP were concerned, was an insult to the 2015 mandate of the people given to the 'Mahagathbandhan' and that he was still a part of the grand alliance in the state.

In the aftermath, the Nitish-led JD-U even suspended 21 party leaders for participating in Yadav's recent three-day Jan Samwad Yatra, wherein he interacted with the people of the state, indicative of a widening rift in the party.

Lalu had also come out in support of Sharad Yadav, leading up to the Nitish faction, reportedly, warning the latter that if he attended the August 27 'Desh Bachao, BJP Bhagao' rally of the former, he would be sacked from the party.

Meanwhile, today, Nitish will be chairing the national executive meeting of the party, while Sharad Yadav will hold a parallel convention in the state under the title 'Jan Adalat'. -- ANI

One army column and one Engineer Task Force have been deployed in six districts of Bihar, which have been successful in rescuing more than 300 people from the flood-hit areas.

At least 27 people were rescued from Katihar, 106 from Madhubani, 84 from East Champaran and 18 from West Champaran.

Besides the rescue operation, 15,765 food packets were distributed among the flood-affected people and around 4,439 were provided with medical aid.

Arrangements have also been made for crowd control and repair of embankment.

According to the incoming reports, more teams of the National Disaster Response Force are being airlifted from Pune to Patna.

Supaul, Saharsa, Bagha, Gopalganj, Madhubani, Sitamarhi, Khagaria, Darbhanga and Madhepura districts are the other districts which have been affected by floods.

Yesterday, the National Disaster Response Force teams were working on war-footing to combat the situation in the flood-affected areas of Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and West Bengal and fanned out its 126 flood rescue teams so far across the country to help the affected people.

Jayalalithaa's memorial on the Marina was decked up with flowers on Friday evening to host what looked like an imminent merger of the two AIADMK factions led by chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and rebel leader O Panneerselvam.

The anti-climax came around 8 pm as the core team of the OPS camp hardened its stand, demanding a commitment from EPS that the chief minister's post and that of the party general secretary be given to OPS.

OPS camp insiders said a section within spurned the offer of deputy CM's post for OPS, arguing that he had been chief minister thrice, and hence cannot be EPS's deputy. 

The Janata Dal-United is set to hold parallel meetings of rival camps, led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and partys ousted Rajya Sabha leader Sharad Yadav, in Patna on Saturday amid indications that the Nitish-led national executive meeting could decide to take tough action against Yadav. Top leaders of both factions, however, dismissed reports of a split, each claiming to be the genuine party unit.


While JD-U general secretary K C Tyagi said that the national executive meeting at the chief ministers 1-Anne Marg residence is the partys official programme, Bihar JD(U) chief spokesperson Sanjay Singh said, We have nothing to do with Jan Adalat programme (to be organised by the Sharad Yadav faction).

Suspended JD-U general secretary Arun Srivastava, who is in the Yadav camp, however, said that no JD-U national executive has yet been constituted, and thus the meeting is null and void. Claiming that Yadav is leader of the real JD-U, he said, If only four states are recognised by them, let them be the leader of four state units. Most of the state units are with us.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today asserted that by 2022, a solution would be found to the Kashmir problem as also other problems like terrorism, naxalism and North East insurgency.

"There are a lot of problems -- terrorism, naxalism, Kashmir problem. Much is not needed to be said about these problems. But I can assure you this much that by 2022, we have pledged to create a 'new India'...So a solution will be found to all these problems before 2022. We want to assure the countrymen on this," he said.

Talking about corruption, the home minister said, "In the first meeting of the Union Cabinet, we took a pledge to fight corruption. Our pledge was to change power and system."

Referring to GST which was rolled out on July 1, he said, "Many of our friends are having problems but after a few months, all will praise GST. We passed GST with the pledge of 'one-nation, one-tax."

Hours after he left the White House as its chief strategist, Stephen Bannon today returned to Breitbart News as its executive chairman, a position he held before joining the Trump campaign last year to help him attain the presidential victory.

Breitbart, seen as a news outlet having right-wing leanings, said Bannon had returned as executive chairman on Friday afternoon and had chaired the company's evening editorial meeting.
  
"The populist-nationalist movement got a lot stronger today. Breitbart gained an executive chairman with his finger on the pulse of the Trump agenda," said Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow.
  
Buoyed by Bannon's return, Breitbart News CEO and President Larry Solov said: "Breitbart's pace of global expansion will only accelerate with Steve back. The sky's the limit."
 
White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders in a brief statement did not explain the reasons for his departure.