LIVE! BCCI told me captain has reservations with my 'style': Kumble

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Tue, 20 June 2017

BCCI told me captain has reservations with my 'style': Kumble

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23:40 BCCI told me captain has reservations with my 'style': Kumble

Hours after stepping down as the head coach of India Cricket team, Anil Kumble on Tuesday night in a Facebook post confirmed that it was due to captain Kohli's reservations about his "style" and him continuing as the head coach that he had decided to move on.

"I was surprised since I had always respected the role boundaries between captain and coach," read the post, adding that the BCCI had attempted to resolve the misunderstandings between the captain and him, but "it was apparent that the partnership was untenable and I, therefore, believe it is best for me to move on".

In the light of these 'reservations', I believe it is best I hand over this responsibility to whomever the CAC and BCCI deem fit, the post further read.

Kumble's tenure was supposed to come to an end after India's campaign at the Champions Trophy but it was widely expected that he will lead the team in West Indies as well.

BJP chief Amit Shah today asked the party workers that instead of just focusing on winning the upcoming assembly elections in Gujarat, they need to work towards uprooting the Congress from the state.

Addressing a gathering of local workers of the party's Saurashtra zone in Junagadh, Shah said the Congress was just day-dreaming about winning the polls, slated to be held later this year.

"Though the Congress is day-dreaming to win the upcoming polls, it could not defeat the BJP since 1990 in Gujarat. This time, party workers will not just fight to win, but to uproot the Congress," Shah said in his address.

"Today, each and every party worker of Saurashtra zone should take a pledge to win 150 seats (out of total 182)," he said.

Commenting on the completion of three years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government at the Centre, Shah said no opposition party could point its finger on the NDA government.

"If you look at the figures, one cannot even believe that a government can do so many things in just three years. Our country is touching new heights globally under the prime minister's leadership," he said.

Before pointing their fingers on us, the Congress leaders need to introspect and see what their government did in the past. In their 10 years of rule, Sonia-Manmohan government were involved in one scam every month. They indulged in scams and corruption worth Rs 12 lakh crore, Shah alleged.

"I want to tell Sonia ji that the opposition could not level a single allegation during these three years. The Modi government made India free from corruption and gave a transparent regime," the BJP chief said.

He also attacked the Congress on the issue of Modi's foreign visits.

When yoga is all the rage across the world, the native place of Maharshi Patanjali, considered to be the compiler of the text on yoga theory and practice, still lacks basic amenities like safe drinking water.

Kondar village, the birthplace of the sage, is about 150 kilometres from Lucknow.

While UNESCO has declared June 21 as International Yoga Day, efforts are needed to improve medical and public transportation facilities in the village of Patanjali, who systematised the practices of yoga in 400 BC, says

Bhagvadacharya, chairman of the Patanjali Janambhoomi Nyas.

Yoga, as it now performed, is derived from his 196 sutras or aphorisms.

"We are working to develop the birthplace of the maharshi as a heritage site. A number of letters have been written to the Centre, and we are awaiting a response," he says.

Bhagvadacharya says he had also written to UNESCO demanding that the village be declared a world heritage site.

Patanjali called himself a "Gondariye" -- a resident of Gonda. A minister in the previous SP government, Yogesh Pratap Singh, built a polytechnic institute in his memory.

The former district magistrate of Gonda, Ashutosh Niranjan, tribute to Patanjali by building a sports complex, he says.

The Patanjali Janambhoomi Nyas is a not-for-profit organisation working for the development of Kondar as a heritage site.

After giving indications of supporting the NDA's presidential candidate, Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav today attended a dinner hosted by Uttar Pradesh chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for Prime Minister

Narendra Modi.

Mulayam was among the first to reach the CM's official 5, Kalidas Marg residence in Lucknow.

Governor Ram Naik, deputy chief ministers Keshav Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, a number of UP ministers and senior BJP leaders also attended the dinner.

However, SP president and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav did not attend it.

"No, he (Akhilesh) will not be attending the dinner," SP spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI when asked whether the party president would be at the table with Modi.

BSP supremo Mayawati too skipped it.

The BSP chief had yesterday said that her party is positive about the NDA nominating Ram Nath Kovind for the presidential election but wished that the ruling alliance had named a non-political Dalit candidate for the top post.

"Although Kovind has been associated with the RSS and the BJP from the beginning but as he is a Dalit, our party's stand towards him cannot be negative. It will be positive, provided Opposition parties do not field any Dalit for the post, who is more capable and popular than him," she had said.

Earlier in the day today, Mulayam, who is the SP patron, extended his support to the NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind, saying he is a deserving candidate.

"Ram Nath Kovind is a good candidate. I have a very old relation with him. BJP has selected a strong candidate. The most important thing is that the BJP has a majority. Can't say what will opposition decide now," he told a TV news channel.

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar today shrugged off criticism that his new film Indu Sarkar, set against the Emergency years, was "sponsored", saying if that were the case, he would have released it during the time of an election.

Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia had yesterday said the depiction of Indira Gandhi and her son, Sanjay -- as seen in the trailer of the film -- was "false".

"This film is sponsored. We all know which person and organisations are behind this. We condemn the false depiction," Scindia said.

Reacting to the comment, the three-time national award winning filmmaker told PTI he had "tremendous respect" for Scindia.

"I admire him personally. But I don't know how he made such a comment without knowing the facts. I am known to make movies which are topical, issue-based and women-centric," he said.

Bhandarkar, along with other film industry people such as Anupam Kher and Ashoke Pandit, had supported the Narendra Modi government when it was being attacked by artistes and others for acts of "intolerance" in parts of the countrty.

The director denied his film was "sponsored".

"If it's a sponsored thing, I would have waited for the 2019 elections or I would have released the film during the recent state elections. People should stop questioning and (instead) support the film, especially those who believe in the freedom of expression and women empowerment," he said.

The film, to be released in July, is based on the state of Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in June, 1975. The Emergency was lifted after 21 months.

Ram Nath Kovind believes that if the president of the country can be criticised, there is no reason why members of the judiciary cannot be pulled up.

The BJP's presidential candidate had said in a debate in Parliament that "if the appointing authority" of judges, that is the president, could be censured, so could the judiciary.

"If any citizen of this country can criticise the President of India for his wrong-doing, I don't think it could be valid ... if the judiciary is exempted," Kovind said as a Rajya Sabha member in the debate on March 3, 2006, on the contempt of courts (Amendment) Bill, 2006, moved by then Law Minister Hansraj Bhardwaj.

He, however, added, the judiciary had been exempted "to maintain its independence".

Kovind, who was a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh and a former lawyer, spoke at length on the bill that sought to reform contempt laws.

"Every citizen has got a fundamental right to speak the truth. If he wants to say anything on the matter of inefficiency or corruption, he is most welcome," he said.

He also mentioned that the then Chief Justice of India had referred to corruption in the judiciary.

"It is not only the citizen. We know that once even the Chief Justice of India had said -- he did admit - that some percentage of the judiciary was corrupt. Of course, he can't be hauled up for contempt of court because he happens to be from the same community (of the judiciary)," Kovind said.

Emphasising that ordinary citizens must have the right to react, he said the person's response "could be for wrong-doing or his reaction could be for rectifying them, whatsoever it may be".

The NDA's nominee, who is likely to be elected president next month, had also congratulated the law minister of the then Congress-led UPA government for the amendment on contempt of court.

Kovind cited a few examples in his speech to argue that courts had wide "discretionary powers" and that there was "an element of non-accountability" in the judiciary.

20:10 Justice Karnan arrested from Coimbatore

Former Calcutta high court judge CS Karnan was on Tuesday arrested from Coimbatore and was taken to Chennai.

Sixty-two-year-old Justice Karnan had been evading arrest since May 9 after being sentenced to six months imprisonment for contempt of court by the Supreme Court.

He has the dubious distinction of being the first sitting high court judge to be awarded a jail term by the apex court.

Karnan is facing six months imprisonment for contempt of the Supreme Court, retired on June 12, probably escaping the odium of a sitting judge being arrested while in office.

Justice Karnan, who was transferred to Kolkata after he had kicked up a row by raking up issues against other judges of the Madras high court, including the Chief Justice, has been untraceable ever since the apex court sentenced him for contempt on May 9.

A seven-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar held Karnan guilty of contempt and ordered six months imprisonment for him.

20:05

NDA Presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind gets NSG cover, PTI reports quoting officials.

19:52 GST roll out will be historic, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today termed the roll-out of the goods and services tax from July 1 as "historic" and said that the world will witness how political parties of various ideological hues came together to usher in this major reform.

"Roll out of the GST from July 1 will be historic. It will set an example for the world," the prime minister said.

He was addressing a gathering at the APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University in Lucknow.

Modi said that he was grateful to all those who had contributed towards the formation of a consensus over the tax reform.

I am grateful to all the Vidhan Sabhas, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and political parties, Modi said.

"The world will witness a transformation (in India) and how all the political parties of different ideologies united for the implementation of the GST," he said.

GST, which was originally planned to be implemented from April 1, was deferred by three months. It will be launched at a grand function in the historic Central Hall of Parliament on the midnight of June 30.

The biggest tax reform since Independence will gradually re-shape India's business landscape by making the country an easier place to do business in and would bring down barriers between 30 states.

19:44 Anil Kumble quits as India coach: Reports

Just In: Anil Kumble has stepped down as the coach of the Indian cricket team, some TV channels have reported.

However, there has been no confirmation from the BCCI or Kumble yet.

Earlier, Kumble did not accompany the Indian team to the West Indies for a limited-overs series starting on June 23 following the ICC Champions Trophy, citing his commitment to an International Cricket Council meeting in London.

The official reason being given is that Kumble is required to stay back for the ICC 'Annual Conference' as he is the chairman of the Cricket Committee in-charge of taking a call on laws and regulations of the game.

Before India opened their ICC Champions Trophy campaign in England, the media was abuzz with reports of fall out between Kumble and Kohli.

It was reported that the bone of contention between Kohli (some other Indian cricketers as well) and Kumble was team selection, player management and approach towards players in regards with injury and preparations for the match.

19:30

Shiv Sena to support Ram Nath Kovind for Presidential Election, says Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray.

18:47 Prez poll: Numbers favour Ram Nath Kovind

The numbers seem to be in favour of Ram Nath Kovind, the NDA nominee for the post of the President of India.

With the BJD, a faction of the AIADMK, the YSR Congress and the TRS extending support, the prospects of sending Kovind to the Rashtrapati Bhavan have brightened.

The total strength of the electoral college which votes to elect the President comprises all elected MPs and members of legislative assemblies of all states and UTs of Delhi and Puducherry.

The total comes to 10,98,903 votes with each MP carrying a vote value of 708. The vote weight of an MLA depends on the population of the state he or she represents.

A candidate needs 50 per cent plus votes to win the poll. Halfway mark comes at 5,49,452.

The NDA, led by the BJP, has 5,37,683 votes and this is including the Shiv Sena. If at all, the Sena decides to vote against the NDA nominee, then the NDA's voteshare minus the Shiv Sena would be around 5,11,790 votes.

With the BJD, a faction of the AIADMK, the TRS and the YSRC firmly behind the BJP, its vote share would come to nearly 8,83,578 -- much more than the 50 per cent plus mark.

The voting for the president's position is through a secret ballot, and party whip does not apply.

In the last elections, present incumbent Pranab Mukherjee had won by a margin of 397776 votes defeating P A Sangma. He garnered 713763 votes against 315987 of Sangma, whose passed away last year.

The police has arrested 15 persons Madhya Pradesh's Burhanpur allegedly for shouting pro-Pakistan slogans after its cricket team won the ICC Champions Trophy final by defeating India and booked them for sedition.

Pakistan had hammered India by 180 runs to lift the Champions Trophy in London on Sunday.

Tension gripped Mohad town in Burhanpur on Sunday night after some persons shouted slogans in favour of Pakistan and celebrated its cricket team's win by bursting firecrackers at public places.

Security was stepped up immediately in the town to avoid any law and order problem.

The police later registered a case on a complaint by one Subhash Laxman Koli and arrested 15 persons yesterday, Shahpur police station in-charge Sanjay Pathak said.

"There was a complaint that these accused celebrated Pakistan's victory by bursting crackers and raising pro-Pakistan and anti-India slogans," Pathak said. The police booked the arrested persons, aged between 19

and 35, under the IPC sections of 124-A (sedition) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy), he said.

The accused were produced in a local court which rejected their bail applications and sent them to jail.

They were later taken to Khandwa district jail.

London Fire Brigade @LondonFire tweets: Adele enjoyed a cup of tea with Chelsea firefighters yesterday and thanked them for their work. We are so humbled by everyone's support.

Like the first Dalit president K R Narayanan, NDA's presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind has risen from a modest background but the two dalit leaders took different paths to reach the zenith of their public life.

The election of Kovind, 71, as India's 14th President is a virtual certainty with several non-NDA parties too lending their support to BJP's surprise candidature of the little-known dalit activist and a former lawyer.

While it is the right-leaning Bharatiya Janata Party which chose Kovind, Narayanan, a diplomat-turned politician, became vice president in 1992 and the president in 1997 courtesy active support from the Left, which had proposed his name first. Kovind's candidature was announced yesterday.

If Narayanan entered politics from the top-a noted diplomat he was asked by Indira Gandhi to join the Congress and contested his first Lok Sabha election at the age of 64 in 1984- Kovind has risen through the BJP's ranks and held various organisational posts.

The Dalit leader from Kerala won three back-to-back elections and was union minister in the Rajiv Gandhi government. Kovind lost two elections- one Lok Sabha and one assembly- but the BJP ensured his political rise by sending him to the Rajya Sabha in 1994 and then in 2000.

It is said the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao did not make Narayanan a minister because he was seen as too "Left-leaning" but the Left parties ensured that he became the vice president as a trade-off for their support to Shankar Dayal Sharma's presidential bid in 1992.

As the vice president, he was the natural choice for the president's post in 1997 and all major parties, from the Congress to the BJP, supported him. Shiv Sena, which has now voiced its reservations to Kovind's candidature, had projected T N Seshan as its candidate who lost in an one-sided contest.

Robin Williams' Jumanji character will affect events of the forthcoming sequel, Welcome to the Jungle.The film will follow new characters played by Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan and Jack Black into the same jungle Williams' character Alan Parrish was banished to for years in the 1995 adventure film. Read more

Twenty-two people were detained by the police, hours before the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Lucknow, over apprehension that there may be an attempt to block his convoy or create some other kind of disturbance. "We have detained 22 persons apprehending that they might breach security during today's VVIP visit," Senior Superintendent of Police Deepak Kumar said.

Those detained included some youth leaders belonging to the Samajwadi Party. Earlier during a visit by the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to the Lucknow University on June 7, a number of students had blocked his cavalcade, raised slogans and waved black flags.

As Adityanath's cavalcade moved towards the varsity campus, where he had been invited as the chief guest at a programme on Chhatrapati Shivaji, activists from the SP 'Chhatra Sabha' and other outfits squatted on the road and raised black flags. The police had a tough time in controlling the protesters.

Last year in January, when Prime Minister Modi visited the Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar University here, he too was greeted with protests as soon as he began speaking at the event. The protesting students were, however, made to leave the auditorium.

The security agencies have tried to make fool proof arrangements this time during the PM's two-day visit to the city. While plying of vehicles will be restricted prior to the PM's movement, security forces have been deployed in a comprehensive way and CCTV cameras have been installed to keep an eye on any suspicious activity.

Image: PM Narendra Modi at Rajpath, New Delhi, during the World Yoga Day in 2015.

15:41 Dinakaran to meet aunty Sasikala in jail soon

Bengaluru: Deputy general secretary TTV Dinakaran arrives at Bangalore jail to meet AIADMK General Secretary Sasikala. The AIADMK's decision on Kovind is expected shortly.

15:32 Anil Kumble 'stays back' for ICC meeting

In a new twist to his speculated rift with captain Virat Kohli, chief coach Anil Kumble has not accompanied the Indian team to the West Indies for a limited-overs series starting June 23, citing his commitment to an ICC meeting here.

The official reason being given is that Kumble is required to stay back for the ICC 'Annual Conference' as he is the chairman of the Cricket Committee in-charge of taking a call on laws and regulations of the game.

The ICC Annual Conference started yesterday and will continue till June 23. Kumble's Cricket Committee meeting will be held on June 22.

"Yes, chief coach Anil Kumble is staying back for the ICC Meeting. The team is flying off to Barbados today," a team source confirmed the development without commenting whether he will join the team at all. It is being widely perceived in the BCCI that in the meeting between Kohli and Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising -- Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman -- the skipper made it clear that his relationship with the coach has reached a dead end.

15:27 Sasikala to decide on Kovind today

Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha M Thambidurai, in a surprise development, met VK Sasikala in Bengaluru Jail today, and is believed to have discussed the Presidential poll.

Thambidurai has already met Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi after the BJP proposed Ram Nath Kovind's name as its presidential candidate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also spoken to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami.

Thambidurai is the key figure for the BJP to coordinate between the three warring factions, but the decision of Sasikala in the presidential poll will be final.

In all probability, Thambidurai is likely to get Sasikala to make a statement from Bengaluru Jail today to ensure that the BJP gets AIADMK support.

President Pranab Mukherjee has accepted the resignation of Ram Nath Kovind as the Governor of Bihar. The President has appointed Keshari Nath Tripathi, Governor of West Bengal, to discharge the functions of the Governor of Bihar, in addition to his own duties, until a replacement is found.

Interestingly, the outgoing President is accepting a sitting Governor Kovind, who is likely to succeed him.

Kovind will now be touring India with a team of BJP leaders, to seek votes for his candidature.

Union Minister Anand Kumar has been designated as the Chief Election Coordinator for the Presidential election.

Also read: All of India's parties must rally behind R N Kovind

Controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen's visa has been extended for one year, with effect from July 23, 2017, by the Union home ministry. Home Minister Rajnath Singh today gave approval for the visa extension, official sources said. Taslima, a citizen of Sweden, has been getting Indian visa on a continuous basis since 2004. Her visa has been further extended on the basis of the Swedish passport, they said. Taslima is living in exile since she left Bangladesh in a cloak of secrecy in 1994 in the wake of threats to her by fundamentalist groups. She has also stayed in the US and Europe during the last two decades. However, on many occasions she had expressed her wish to live in India permanently, especially in Kolkata. Taslima had also applied for permanent residency in India. "No decision has been taken on it by the home ministry," a source said. The writer also had to leave Kolkata in 2007 following violent street protests by a section of Muslims against her works.

14:30

Just in: Congress to back Shiv Sena's candidature of MS Swaminathan for President, reports ABP News.

14:17 Gutsy traffic cop dares to stop Prez convoy for ambulance, wins hearts

A traffic police officer deployed at Bengaluru's Trinity Circle on Saturday won hearts of the city and the netizens alike for deftly making way for an ambulance even as a convoy of the President of India was to pass through a busy junction.

The Bengaluru Police later announced a reward for traffic police sub-inspector M.L. Nijalingappa for making way for an ambulance during the convoy movement of President Pranab Mukherjee, who was in the city for the inauguration of Metro's Green Line.

The President's convoy was heading towards the Raj Bhavan when Nijalingappa is reported to have spotted an ambulance trying to find a way towards a private hospital near HAL.

The sub-inspector quickly passed on directions to do the needful and let the ambulance travel through the traffic-heavy road.

Deputy Commissioner of Police -Traffic East Division, Bengaluru City Abhei Goyal later took to Twitter to praise the officer's presence of mind.PSI Sh Nijlingappa is rewarded for deftly allowing the ambulance before the 1st citizen of India.

Following this, it didn't take much time for the Twitter and the Facebook, including pages of the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP), to get inundated with appreciation messages for the officer.

The inter-ministerial consultations on the future course of action for Air India have been completed and the Cabinet would decide on how best to move forward, Union minister Jayant Sinha said today.

The debt-laden Air India is staying afloat on taxpayers' money and the government is looking at all options for its revival, including privatisation.

"We are going through the analysis process. Those recommendations are with the Cabinet right now and the Cabinet will take the process forward," Sinha said.

The minister of state for civil aviation was responding to queries on NITI Aayog's proposal for complete privatisation and suggestions from other quarters about sale of assets of Air India. Without disclosing specific details, he said there have been a number of discussions for many months now as far as Air India is concerned.

"All appropriate action and in fact concerns have been (discussed) at the inter-ministerial level and they are being summarised and presented to the Cabinet, which will take into account when it goes through that discussion process," Sinha said.

Asked about possible privatisation of the national carrier, the minister said all options are on the table and it is for the Cabinet to take a decision on how best to move forward.

Recently, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the civil aviation ministry has to explore all possibilities "as to how the privatisation of Air India can be done".

14:05

China hints at blocking a UN ban on Pakistan-based JeM leader Masood Azhar once again.

13:49 JD-U meet on Kovind's candidature tomorrow

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called a meeting of senior Janata Dal (United) leaders on Wednesday to discuss extension of support to the National Democratic Alliance candidate Ram Nath Kovind for the post of president.

BJP President Amit Shah on Monday announced Bihar Governor Ram Nath Kovind would be the government's candidate for the country's top post.

After this announcement, Nitish had met Kovind at Raj Bhawan in Patna and extended his wishes.

Though Nitish expressed happiness that the Bihar Governor would be the NDA's candidate for the President elections, he said a detailed discussion would be held on the matter within the JD(U).Nitish also said that "I had a word with Laluji and Sonia Gandhi, and there will be discussion on this. I have told them about my views".

It is likely that the JD (U) leaders would be deliberating upon all the pros and cons of the latest development for the July 17 Presidential polls. JD (U) has been a part of the opposition's joint initiative on the presidential elections.The opposition is against Kovind's name being finalised for the post of president on grounds that they were not consulted prior to the announcement.

The Shiv Sena, an ally of the NDA, also alleged that Kovind's name was not discussed.The election for the next President of India is to be held on July 17. President Pranab Mukherjee will demit office on July 24.

13:46

Home Minister Rajnath Singh met Bihar Governor and NDA presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind.

12:51 Azad heads to Patna to meet Nitish

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to visit Patna to meet Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and discuss the BJP's presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind.

The GST will be launched at the Central Hall of Parliament. Arun Jaitley responds to whether Indian Inc is prepared for GST. "The government had been saying GST will be rolled out by July 1. Nobody had any business not to be ready. In the short term, there will be some challenges in the switch-over to GST. Over medium to long term, revenues of Centre, states will grow; size of formal economy to grow too," the finance minister said and added that consequently GST should have a positive impact on the GDP.

Just in: Finance minister Arun Jaitley on the government's big-ticket GST plan.

The FM says GST will be officially launched by President Pranab Mukherjee at midnight of June 30 to July 1.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, PM Narendra Modia and two former PMs Manmohan Singh and HD Deve Gowda will be present, apart from state CMs and opposition leaders.

As the popular culture of selfies continues to soar across the nation, forcing people to even risk their lives to get that perfect shot, the Moradabad Police has decided to take a stern action against the people found taking selfies at places which may be life-threatening.

The police have taken this step to curb the growing craze of selfies among the youth which in recent times claimed a number of lives.

"It is being witnessed that there is a lot of craze in the younger generation for selfies. It is not wrong, but to make that unique the youth tries to take selfies at places like railway tracks, highways and other places, risking their own and others' lives. In wake of such incidents, we have decided to take an action against those found taking selfies in such places which may be life-threatening," said Superintendent of Police Ashish Srivastav.

Srivastav said the people found taking selfies or uploading ones which are clicked at places like highways, railway tracks, railway stations, bus stations, or tall buildings will be penalised.

Last month, a man died while another lost his hand when the duo was run over by a moving train, while they were clicking selfies at the Alwal Railway station near Secunderabad in Telengana.

As per a report published last year, India has had far more selfie-related deaths than any other country in the world in the last two years

Was it right to strap a civilian to an army jeep in Kashmir?
What did the army chief mean when said civilians should 'fear' the army? What is the fallout of high-pitched television debates on the army?

Lieutenant General K T Parnaik was the Northern Army commander, the highest ranking army officer responsible for defending the Line of Control and security of Jammu and Kashmir for three years.

The retired general tells Rediff.com's Archana Masih how soldiers sit on a razor's edge to guard the LoC, the damage media noise brings to the army and the dilemma soldiers face in Kashmir. Do read

Security has been stepped up in and around Delhi ahead of the Yoga Day celebrations to be organised by the ministry of AYUSH, tomorrow. There is also a heightened security alert after the spate of terror attacks in the UK.

The Pioneer reports that at least 3,000 CCTV cameras installed at various intersections and market places all over the national Capital have reportedly been found non-functional.
Police have also started a security audit of hotels, guest houses, while cyber cafes are being checked and a security verification of construction workers are being done.

All the district DCPs have reportedly been asked to repair the non-functional cameras.

Last year, the Inner Circle, Middle Circle and the radial roads inside the Outer Circle of Connaught Place were made out of bounds for general public from 3 am, and is likely to be done this year as well.

Roads leading to all the yoga venues are being sanitised.

10:42

Uttarakhand MeT Department issues heavy rain alert for next 48 hours in Haridwar, Dehradun, Chamoli, Nainital, Rudraprayag, Pithoragarh.

10:28

Times of India cartoonist Sandeep Adhwaryu on the BJP's Dalit pick Ram Nath Kovind.

10:14 IT Dept seizes benami properties of Misa Bharti, Tejaswi Yadav

The Income-Tax department on Monday seized benami properties of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's daughter Misa Bharti, son-in-law Shailesh Kumar and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav.

Earlier the IT department had issued two summonses to Misa, but after she failed to appear, the IT department proceeded to seize the properties which were raided in May.

On June 13, the IT- Department has summoned Shailesh Kumar, in connection with the benami assets and tax evasion case registered against him.

On June 7, the IT department slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 against Shailesh on account of not appearing for interrogation.

Earlier, Misa Bharti and her husband Shailesh were summoned by the IT department in connection with a 'benami' assets case.

The summons were issued days after the arrest of Bharti's Chartered Accountant (CA) Rakesh Agrawal, in connection with an Enforcement Directorate probe into a Rs. 8,000 crore money laundering racket, involving two Delhi-based businessmen and a few political entities.

The ruling party said her suggestion that Ram Nath Kovind was the 'worst bet' was 'blatant and scurrilously slanderous and casteist'. Read more

Just in: The Shiv Sena to hold a meeting with senior party leaders at 3 pm.

BJP ally Shiv Sena had said yesterday that party chief Uddhav Thackeray would announce the party's decision on the BJP's presidential candidate nominee Ram Nath Kovind. However, the Sena kept its ally in suspense and has decided to hold a meeting this afternoon, at 3 pm, instead.

Senior leaders of the party will decide on supporting the ruling alliances choice for president.

Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut told reporters in Mumbai yesterday, "Amit Shah called up Uddhavji after the NDAs presidential candidate was decided by the BJPs parliamentary board meeting. Shah sought the Sena's support for Ram Nath Kovind.

We had suggested two names for the post. One was of (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat. If they (BJP) had a problem with that, we wanted (eminent agriculturist) M S Swaminathan. But since they have chosen some other name, the party will convey to the BJP our decision soon.

Also read: Who said what on the BJP Presidential nominee.

As chief minister, Narendra Modi had to spend a few days every year in meetings with the Planning Commission. It was a begging trip; the Planning Commission decided the allocation of plan funds to states. He had to accept whatever he was given. Gujarat's fiscal and economic performance was good. He was not rewarded for it; instead, he was given less because he was raking in so much in taxes. He hated the supercilious looks and shrill sermons of Montek Singh Ahluwalia; he did not see why Ahluwalia should lord it over just because he had been to Oxford. He was determined to abolish the Planning Commission if he ever came to power in Delhi.
When he finally arrived in 2014, he kept his resolve.
Read Ashok V Desai's column in the Telegraph.

Image: Arvind Panagariya, the NITI Aayog chief.

What led to US student Otto Warmbier's death? The 22-year-old was detained in North Korea for 17 months and died just days after he was released and repatriated to the US.

Physicians at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, where he died, said last Thursday that Warmbier showed no sign of understanding language or awareness of his surroundings, and had made no "purposeful movements or behaviours,' though he was breathing on his own.

Warmbier's father, Fred Warmbier, said last week that his son had been "brutalised and terrorised by the Pyongyang government and that the family disbelieved North Korea's story that his son had fallen into a coma after contracting botulism and being given a sleeping pill. Doctors who examined Otto Warmbier after his release said there was no sign of botulism in his system.

The Congress Party on Tuesday suggested both the Central and the West Bengal Governments to take the Darjeeling matter seriously and to come to a decision together instead of going out as Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee left for Netherlands.

"The situation in Darjeeling is becoming worse day by day. The Central and the state Governments must take the Darjeeling matter seriously and must take decision together by talking with the people there," Congress leader Meem Afzal told ANI.

Echoing similar views, another Congress Party leader P. L. Punia said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Bannerjee should be present in the state instead of going to Netherlands."I believe that instead of going to Darjeeling, she must be present in the state and think to solve the issue," he added.Mamata yesterday left for her Netherlands visit even as the indefinite strike called by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha (GJM) continued.Mamata, who left to address a United Nations meet, said her ministers were monitoring the situation in violence-hit Darjeeling.

"Violent protests won't be tolerated. My ministers are monitoring the situation," she told ANI at the Kolkata airport.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said he has spoken to Mamata over the law and order situation in Darjeeling.Thirty-six policemen were injured on Saturday in clashes with the GJM supporters.

Father-of-four Darren Osborne, 47, was held on suspicion of attempted murder and alleged terror offences after a van hit Muslims Finsbury Park.

It is alleged that Osborne hired a van from South Wales before driving to the Muslim Welfare House in north London.

There, he is accused of mounting the pavement just yards from the Finsbury Park Mosque and mowing down a group of British Muslims who had been helping an unwell man.

Witnesses say that, after the attack, he shouted 'I'm going to kill all Muslims - I did my bit' as he was restrained by members of the community.

Investigations also revealed that a day before the attack, he was thrown out of a pub after 'cursing Muslims' and vowing to 'do some damage'.

The Delhi Police has been placed on high alert and has asked its counterparts across India to tighten security after receiving an intelligence tip-off of a possible terror attack in crowded public spaces, a senior police officer said.

"The Delhi Police special cell has issued an advisory to all security agencies across the country to beef up the security measures at interstate bus terminals, railway stations, five-star hotels, malls and markets, religious places, embassies of western countries, metro stations, airports, stadiums, and tourist places or other sites visited by foreign nationals," the officer said.

The security agencies have also been directed to keep a tab on suspicious articles, if found, in vehicles and to conduct proper checking on interstate borders.

08:40 NSG at forefront of PM Modi's 3-nation trip

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi is headed to the US, Portugal and the Netherlands later this week, New Delhi is looking at securing unequivocal commitment and support from these countries for Indias membership at the Nuclear Suppliers Group.

While the US expressed support for Indias membership under the Obama administration, New Delhi wants a declaration and reaffirmation of support from the new administration under President Donald Trump.

The American administration has indicated that there is no change in their position on Indias application to become a member of the NSG. So, we would like to have a reaffirmation of the support by the administration during the visit, a top government source said.

With the US government backing out of Paris climate accord, Delhi is keen to get reaffirmation of commitment on NSG. One of Indias key arguments for its NSG membership has been its commitment to abide by the Paris pact.

Otto Warmbier, the University of Virginia student who was detained in North Korea for nearly a year and a half, died Monday afternoon, his parents announced.

Warmbier had been medically evacuated and returned to Cincinnati last week in a coma.

"Unfortunately, the awful torturous mistreatment our son received at the hands of the North Koreans ensured that no other outcome was possible beyond the sad one we experienced today," his parents, Fred and Cindy Warmbier, said in a written statement.

US President Donald Trump issued a statement saying, "Melania and I offer our deepest condolences to the family of Otto Warmbier on his untimely passing. There is nothing more tragic for a parent than to lose a child in the prime of life. Our thoughts and prayers are with Otto's family and friends, and all who loved him.

"Otto's fate deepens my Administration's determination to prevent such tragedies from befalling innocent people at the hands of regimes that do not respect the rule of law or basic human decency. The United States once again condemns the brutality of the North Korean regime as we mourn its latest victim."

Nuclear-armed Pakistan is a key ally of the United States -- but the relationship is far from untroubled. And one of Washington's main geopolitical rivals appears ready to step in.

The Pentagon is warning that the Islamic republic may soon house a Chinese military base.

While the US gives Islamabad hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, the two countries are not on the same page when it comes to fighting terrorism or ending the war in Afghanistan.

A report released earlier this month suggested that Beijing would likely turn to countries such as Pakistan as it seeks to project its economic and military power abroad.

After the United States military shot down a Syrian air force jet on Sunday, Moscow has vowed to target any plane from the US-led coalition flying west of the Euphrates river in Syria.

Earlier, the US military confirmed that a US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet had shot down a Syrian SU-22 on Sunday.

The US said the Syrian jet had dropped bombs near Syrian Democratic Forces fighters who are aligned with US forces in the fight against ISIS. Damascus said its plane had been on anti-Isis mission.

Russia's defence ministry said the US had given it no warning, following which Moscow was also suspending coordination over "deconfliction zones" that were created to prevent incidents involving US and Russian jets engaged in operations in Syria, reports the Guardian.

However, the Pentagon states that the Syrian jet had dropped bombs near US partner forces involved in the fight to extract Raqqa from Islamic State control.

Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said: "This strike has to be seen as a continuation of America's line to disregard the norms of international law.

"What is this if not an act of aggression? It is, if you like, help to those terrorists that the US is fighting against, declaring they are carrying out an anti-terrorism policy."

Representative image

00:12 Top headlines at this hour

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