A 36-year-old Italian woman was allegedly abducted from the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, robbed of 500 Euros, and taken to Chandigarh by two men, police said today.

The two accused were subsequently arrested, police said.

The woman arrived in Delhi on June 20 and booked a prepaid taxi to her hotel in Paharganj.

However, the driver took her to a fake government office in Gole Market.

She was told that since elections were underway in the national capital, all roads leading towards Paharganj were blocked.

Her suspicions aroused, she asked the accused for their Wi-Fi password which they gave her.

She then posted a message on her Facebook wall.

Sensing that she had developed suspicions about them, the accused robbed her of 500 Euros and forced her into a car.

They took her to Chandigarh after threatening her of dire consequences if she raised an alarm.

After reaching Chandigarh, the woman managed to escape from their clutches and informed the Italian embassy who then informed the Delhi Police and a case was registered.

On the basis of technical surveillance, the accused Nikki and Prithvi Raj were arrested, police said.  -- PTI

Dhinchak Pooja's red scooter in her latest YouTube video may have caught many an eyeball, but Delhi's Traffic Police isn't amused and has decided to take action for her helmet-less ride.

In the video of her latest song titled 'Dilon ka shooter hai mera scooter', Pooja can be seen riding the two-wheeler on Delhi's roads without a helmet.

"We will be issuing a notice to the owner of the vehicle that is seen in the video. We will look into the matter and appropriate action will be taken under the Motor Vehicles Act," Additional CP (Traffic) SBS Tyagi said.

While the video became viral online, attracting some hilarious reactions and making some cringe at the same time, a Twitter user yesterday brought to the notice of Delhi Traffic Police that Pooja is riding the scooter in the video without a helmet.

Mohit Singh tweeted to the official handles Delhi Police and Delhi Traffic Police and complained that the youtuber has flouted traffic rules while riding the scooter in Surajmal Vihar area of of the city.

He also supported his claims by posting a picture from the video purportedly showing her riding the scooter without helmet.

Mohit also mentioned the place, time and date when of 'offence'.

The Delhi Traffic Police replied to his tweet saying, 'action will be taken'.  -- PTI

A Congress leader, who recently courted controversy after he referred to Rahul Gandhi as 'Pappu', in a Whatsapp post, today resigned from the party.

In the resignation letter submitted to party president Sonia Gandhi this morning, former Meerut Congress district president Vinay Pradhan alleged that he wasn't given fair hearing before being stripped off all party posts.

Speaking to mediapersons in New Delhi, Pradhan claimed that the Whatsapp post was, in fact, in praise of the party's vice president 'for putting the interest of the nation before his own and not joining hands with Adani, Ambani, and Mallya'.

"By taking action against me, Rahul Gandhi has proven that he is indeed 'pappu' who cannot understand that the words I had said were in his praise. Now my political career has been cut short," said Pradhan.

A bitter Pradhan said he felt 'cheated' by the Congress party, which he claimed to have served for 22 long years.

In his diatribe against the Congress, Pradhan said there was 'growing sycophancy' in the party, and held the Congress vice president responsible for the party's recent poll upsets.

"Rahul Gandhi is surrounded by a bunch of sycophants who are responsible for reducing the Congress to the status of an 'also-ran' party. The Congress is losing its relevance and going by Pappu's current track record, there is no reason to believe that the party will win any election in future," he said.

While Pradhan claims he meant to praise Rahul, his choiceof the word 'pappu' -- a favoured term of Rahul Gandhi'sdetractors -- backfired, and Pradhan was promptly removed from all posts, elected and nominated, within hours after the message was circulated on a Whatsapp group of the party.  -- PTI

The National Democratic Alliance government on Wednesday announced handsome increase in allowances by allowing recommendations of the Seventh Central Pay Commission on allowances with 34 modifications.

Revised rates on enhanced allowance will be effective from July 1, 2017.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told media that the Cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has decided to increase allowances to pensioners, soldiers and officers posted in Siachen and nurses and ministerial staffs of hospitals.

"Fixed medical allowance for pensioners is increased from Rs 500 per month to Rs 1,000 per month. Constant attendance allowance on 100 per cent disablement is increased from Rs 4,500 per month to Rs 6,750 per month," said Jaitley.

The government also doubled the allowances to soldiers and officers posted in Siachen.

Now, the soldiers posted in Siachen will get Rs 30,000 per month as allowance.

Earlier, they used to get Rs 14,000 per month. The officers will now get monthly allowance of Rs 42,500, which was earlier Rs 21,000.

The cabinet has also increased allowances paid to nurses and ministerial staffs of hospitals.

The nursing allowance has been increased from Rs 4,800 to Rs 7,200 per month.

Operation theatre allowance is increased from Rs 360 to Rs 540 per month.

Hospital patient care allowance is enhanced from Rs 2,070 to Rs 4,100 and patient care allowance from Rs 2,100 pm to Rs 5,300 per month.

The Seventh Central Pay Commission recommendations have been modified and HPCA and PCA to continue for ministerial staff.  -- ANI

The Union cabinet today cleared disinvestment of debt-laden Air India but the final modalities, including the quantum of stake sale, will be decided by a group of ministers.

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the cabinet has given 'in-principle' approval for disinvestment of Air India.

A group will be set up to finalise modalities/details of disinvestment of Air India, including the quantum of stake sale, he said.

The civil aviation ministry is charting out the disinvestment of the state-run carrier.

Surviving on taxpayers' money, Air India has been in the red for long and various proposals, including government think tank Niti Aayog's suggestion for complete privatisation, have been made.

The airline has a debt of more than Rs 52,000 crore and is surviving on a Rs 30,000-crore bailout package extended by the previous United Progressive Alliance government in 2012.  -- PTI

North Korea threatened today to 'impose the death penalty' on the South's former president Park Geun-Hye over an alleged plot to assassinate its leader Kim Jong-Un.

Park had 'pushed forward' a supposed plan by Seoul's intelligence services to eliminate the North's leadership, Pyongyang's security ministry and prosecutors said in a statement carried by its official Korean Central News Agency.

"We declare at home and abroad that we will impose death penalty on traitor Park Geun Hye," it said. -- Agencies

Leaders of some key opposition parties may not participate in the June 30 midnight special meeting in Parliament to launch the Goods and Services Tax regime, sources in the Left parties said today.

The sources contended that the official machinery was not 'prepared' to introduce GST, but the government was 'rushing into' implementing it.

"The dominant view among the opposition parties is that they should not participate in the meeting, and that they will not attend the meeting," the sources said.

A Left leader sought to know what preparations the government had made for GST, holding that traders and others were agitating on the issue.

"All sections are agitating. You cannot turn it into an entertainment event when people are suffering. So that is the view of all the opposition parties," the Left leader said.

Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary Sitaram Yechury had earlier cryptically said his party had not boycotted the special meeting, but had not issued a whip to its MPs.

When a party issues a whip, its MPs have to obey the party position or face disciplinary action.

Yechury had earlier this week questioned why the government was 'hurrying' into introducing GST and recalled that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party had opposed the system when it was in the Opposition.

The government will use the circular-shaped Central Hall to launch the new taxation system that is set to dramatically re-shape the over $2 trillion economy.

A gong will be sounded at midnight to signify the arrival of GST.

Modi will be the key speaker at the function. President Pranab Mukherjee is also likely to attend the function.

The GST Bill was originally piloted by Mukherjee when he was the finance minister in the United Progressive Alliance regime.  -- PTI

The Pakistan Army on Wednesday violated the ceasefire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Bhimber Gali sector.

The Indian Army is retaliating to the unprovoked ceasefire violation which took place at around 2.45 pm.

Earlier this week, the Pakistan Army had initiated unprovoked and indiscriminate firing of small arms, automatics and mortars in the same sector of the state.

Earlier on June 5, Indian Army Director Generals of Military Operations Lieutenant General A K Bhatt had warned the Pakistani counterpart in connection with the unprovoked attacks which India has been witnessing for last few months. -- ANI

India's latest communication satellite GSAT-17 will be launched early tomorrow on board Arianespace rocket from Kourou in French Guiana.

"GSAT-17 is scheduled to be launched at 2:29 hrs (2.29 am) IST on June 29 by the Ariane-5 launch vehicle," the Indian Space Research Organisation said in Bengaluru today.

GSAT-17 with a lift-off mass of about 3,477 kg will carry payloads in normal C-band, extended C-band and S-band to provide various communication services.

It also carries equipment for meteorological data relay and satellite based search and rescue services being provided by earlier INSAT satellites, the space agency said.

This will be third satellite launch by ISRO this month,the other two being first developmental flight of GSLV MkIII and PSLV C-38 missions -- both from Sriharikota space sport.

GSAT-17's co-passenger in the designated flight-VA238 in Arianespace's launcher family numbering system is, Hellas Sat3-Inmarsat S EAN of Thales Alenia Space for augmenting communication services of Hellas Sat and Inmarsat.

The launch will be from Ariane Launch Complex No 3 in Kourou, French Guiana, and the total payload that will be carried on Flight VA238 is approximately 10,177 kg.

Hellas Sat 3-Inmarsat S EAN is positioned as the upper passenger on Ariane 5, and will be released first during the flight, followed by GSAT-17's deployment from the launcher's lower payload position, Arianespace said.

The mission from liftoff to deployment of the two satellites into Geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) is expected to take about 39 minutes. -- PTI

China has removed an old bunker of the Indian Army located at the tri-junction of India, China and Bhutan in Sikkim by using a bulldozer after the Indian side refused to accede to its request, according to official sources.


The incident that broke out in the first week of June in Doka La general area in Sikkim had led to a face-off between the two forces, triggering tension in the Sikkim section of the India-China border, the sources said today.


The forcible removal of the old bunker by using heavy machinery like a bulldozer came when the Indian side did not agree to a request by the Chinese authorities to dismantle it, the sources said.


China is believed to have not taken kindly to India building many new bunkers and upgrading older ones along the border in Sikkim in the recent past to augment its defences against the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the sources said.


Of the 3,488-km-long India-China border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh, a 220-km section falls in Sikkim. Beijing is also upset with New Delhi over the recent visit of the Dalai Lama to Arunachal Pradesh, the sources said, adding they were also trying to escalate tension in the forward areas, including in Sikkim, even though the border in the northeastern state is demarcated.


The Sikkim government has also sent a report to the central government giving details of the situation along the border following the stand-off in Doka La.


The first batch of Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims comprising about 50 people returned from Nathu La border post as the stand-off between India and China continues. The pilgrims returned to Gangtok on June 23 after staying in Nathu La for three days awaiting permission from the Chinese side to undertake the onward journey.


Representational image

-- Monsoon session of Parliament to commence on 17th of July.


-- Pakistan violated ceasefire along LoC in J&K's Bhimber Gali sector from 1445 hours; Indian Army retaliating.


-- PMO refuses to share information under RTI about a meeting chaired by PM Narendra Modi on GST on June 5, says it would affect the country's "economic interests".

After Azam Khan fanned another controversy with his remark on the Indian Army, the BJP on Wednesday slammed the SP leader and said it has become a fashion to demean the Indian Army in the name of 'freedom of expression'.

"Azam Khan constantly tries to speak in favour of Pakistan and break the social fabric of this country. It has become the fashion to demean the Indian Army in the name of freedom of expression," BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said in a press briefing.

Patra said that Khan is supporting terrorism from across the border."This is very unfortunate and we condemn this. Azam khan has demeaned the Indian Army and has spoken in a way which has belittled the professional India Army. The political parties are constantly speaking against the army and showing them in poor light," he said.

The BJP spokesperson also called the Samajwadi Party to take stern action against Khan and expel him."How dare Azam Khan say such things against the Indian Army, it is a protective army. Azam khan is trying to create a narrative across the country, which is trying to divide the country on the lines of Hindu and Muslim," he said.

Earlier in the day, Khan accused the Indian Army of misbehaving with the people of Jammu and Kashmir."A fight is going on the border, but at one place, women killed soldiers. This act forces us to think that there might have been a reason for doing so," Khan said.

Prime Minister Modi concluded a successful trip to the United States. As the Prime Minister of the world's largest democracy, he got a warm welcome from President Trump at the White House. A video titled "Prime Minister Modi on the way to White House. Superb video, Must Watch,' has been shared on Facebook by a fan pages of PM Modi, called "Modi Followers'.

But here's the truth behind the video. Read

With just two days left for Goods and Service Tax to be rolled out, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed concern over its implementation, saying that after demonetisation the 'unnecessary disastrous hurry', in pushing GST through is another epic blunder by the Centre.


"I am deeply concerned about GST implementation. After demonetisation, this unnecessary disastrous hurry is another epic blunder by the Centre," Mamata said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.


Mamata further said that her government is not against GST, but is worried at the way the Centre is going ahead with its implementation."Our repeated suggestions to take some more time to properly implement GST have fallen in deaf ears.


The entire business community, especially the small and medium ones, are scared and confused. Only 60 hours are left before this ill planned launch and no one knows for sure what's happening," she added.Mamata further said that essential commodities such as medicines are not available in many places and prices of various commodities are rising for lack of clarity and mismanagement.


"We have always been fighting for maintaining the federalist structure of the country, even if Bengal at times was the lone voice and conscience of the GST Council," she added.


She further said that the Centre had initially opposed GST strongly for over seven years and suddenly did a somersault after coming to office as a champion of GST.

The passage of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill by both the Houses of Parliament is a 'Mars Orbiter' moment for her, points out Dr (Ms) Ketna L Mehta, image, left, founder trustee of Nina Foundation which has been doing tremendous work among paraplegics and quadriplegics in Mumbai.   

Indrani Mukerjea being escorted to JJ Hospital in Mumbai. Indrani complained that she was beaten and had bruises on her arms and legs after she complained about the murder of a fellow inmate. The judge today accepted that she be medically examined. If her claims are true, (that she was beaten and the injuries are not self-inflicted) an FIR will be filed against the jail authorities.   

A Mumbai court today permitted Indrani Mukerjea to approach the police to lodge her complaint against Byculla prison officials, days after Manjula Shette, an inmate allegedly died due to custodial torture in the same prison.

Indrani Mukerjea's lawyer demanded the special Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) court record her statement and to conduct the medical examination immediately in the Byculla jail riot matter.

Mukerjea is an accused in the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora.

Mukerjea's lawyer had filed an application in the special CBI court, claiming that she was assaulted by the Byculla jail authorities.

Her lawyer said in the application that bruise marks could be seen on Mukerjea's body all over after being beaten up by the jail staff.

Reportedly, over 200 women inmates, including Mukerjea, have been booked for rioting and criminal conspiracy inside the Mumbai's Byculla jail.

The Nagpada Police filed an FIR against six women prison staffers, including the jailor for the murder of Manjula Shetye, a 31-year-old convict inside the jail.

A case of murder has also been registered in this case.

On August 25, 2015, Indrani was arrested by the Mumbai Police in connection with the alleged murder of her daughter in 2012. She was charged under Sections 302, 201 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Since September 2015, Indrani has been held in judicial custody at a women's-only prison in Byculla Jail.

File pic.

JJ Hospital has informed Maharashtra Prisons that 1993 Mumbai blasts convict Mustafa Dossa has died due to cardiac arrest. He was officially declared dead at 2:30 pm. 

The government will not hike prices of rice, wheat, coarse grains sold via PDS under the Food Law for one  more year, says Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan.

The minister said the PM had taken a historic decision to not increase the issue prices of food-grains under the National Food Security Act for one more year.

Mumbai 1993 serial blasts convict Mustafa Dossa has died in hospital. Dossa was hospitalised after he complained of chest pain. The 1993 Mumbai blasts accused was admitted to the jail ward of JJ hospital at 3 am today after he developed high fever.

ANI had reported that Dossa had earlier informed the special TADA court that he had a heart problem and wanted to undergo a bypass surgery.

The prosecution has sought the death sentence for Dossa. 

Two editors of Kannada tabloids have approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the state Assembly resolution sentencing them to a one-year jail term for their alleged "defamatory" articles against legislators.

In their petitions filed before Justice Ashok B Hinchigeri, the two have sought quashing of the resolution adopted by the House, contending that it was "illegal and unconstitutional."

The June 21 last assembly resolution sentencing Ravi Belagere of 'Hai Bangalore' and Anil Raju of 'Yelahanka Voice' has triggered protests from the media with the Editors' Guild of India terming it as a "gross misuse" of power which "violates" the fundamental right of freedom of speech.

The guild has also urged the assembly to withdraw its resolution "without delay".   

In an unusual and drastic step, the assembly awarded the sentence, besides imposing a fine of Rs 10,000 each on the two journalists, based on the recommendations of Privileges Committee of the House.

In their petitions filed yesterday, the two journalists contended that the sentencing was illegal and unconstitutional as the Speaker K B Koliwad, cannot be an adjudicator for his own complaint. Belagere had published an article against Koliwad in September 2014 issue of 'Hai Bangalore'. Former Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa had referred the issue to the Privileges Committee after Koliwad, then an MLA, had lodged a complaint against Belagere.

Congress and BJP MLAs, B M Nagaraju and S R Viswanath had raised the issue in the House and recommended action against the journalists.

The sentencing violated the norms of natural justice because the Speaker had not given sufficient hearing opportunity to them before levelling charges, the petitioners said. "Proper notices also were not served to the Editors."    

The petition also said, legislators do not have any power to award a jail term. The court is likely to hear the petitions tomorrow.

Protected by multiple levels of security, the 40-day Amarnath pilgrimage began from here today with the first batch of 2,280 devotees leaving for the high altitude shrine.

Minister of State for Tourism Priya Sethi and Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh flagged off the convoy to the cave shrine dedicated to Lord Shiva in the south Kashmir Himalayas at about 5.30 am.

As the 72-vehicle convoy left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here amid chants of "Jai Bholay Nath" and "Bum Bum Bholay", officials said intelligence warning had prompted the "highest level" of security arrangements.

These included satellite tracking systems, jammers and bulletproof bunkers, dog squads, CCTV cameras and quick response teams in addition to thousands of security personnel guarding the route in view of the increased threat perception and violence in the Valley.

The convoy of the first batch of pilgrims, including 1,811 men, 422 females and 47 sadhus, was escorted by Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) vehicles, an official said.

While 698 left for the Baltal basecamp in 25 vehicles, 1,535 pilgrims and 47 sadhus left in 47 vehicles for Pahalgam base camp from the Jammu base camp. Singh said all security arrangements had been put in place to ensure an incident free yatra.

"The highest level of the security measures have been put in place. All important aspects like security, arrangements necessary for the road journey and base camp have been well taken care of," the deputy chief minister added.

S N Shrivastava, special director general, CRPF, had said yesterday the annual yatra was a "big challenge" and elaborate security was in place to ensure the safety of the pilgrims.

Reliance Industries' Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani kept his annual salary capped at Rs 15 crore for the ninth year on the trot and did not even take stock options that were given to other board directors. Ambani, the richest Indian, has kept salary, perquisites and allowances and commission at Rs 15 crore since 2008-09, forgoing almost Rs 24 crore per annum.


"The chairman and managing director's compensation has been set at Rs 15 crore as against Rs 38.75 crore as approved, reflecting his desire to continue to set a personal example for moderation in managerial compensation levels," RIL said in its annual report for 2016-17. Ambani voluntarily capped his compensation at Rs 15 crore in October 2009 amid a debate over right-sizing of CEO salaries. The salary cap continued even as all other executive directors got stock options.

"The holy cow was a master-stroke that ignites passions and justifies the systematic and repetitive lynching of members of the minority community, thereby bludgeoning the 67-year-old established practice of plurality. Once this principle of outsourcing violence without retribution made its gash on the body polity, the next logical step of murder-at-will followed, as young Junaid learnt through his tragic death on a Delhi-Mathura train. It is no more safe to look like like a 'typical' member of the minority community or to profess the hated creed of secularism."

Do read the column on the Telegraph.

An onion, chillies, salt, and rotis. A poor Indian's staple.

Sometimes, even this is unaffordable.

It is therefore heartbreaking to read that 8000 metric tons of onions are reportedly rotting due to heavy rain in the Karod Market in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

These onions have been purchased over the 17 days, but in Bhopal there is no arrangement for storage. Mukul Gupta, sub-divisional magistrate of Govindpura district, said the administration has decided that farmers will not be allowed to sell their onions in districts other than their own district.

He added, "Only 500 to 1000 sacks of onions has rotted due to rain."

'Only'.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has taken over the probe into the death of a woman convict who was lodged in the Byculla prison in Mumbai, a senior police official said today.

The Commissioner of Mumbai Police has issued an order, as per which the crime branch will investigate the death of convict Manju Shette, the official said.

The police had earlier suspended six jail staffers and booked them on the charge of murder.

Manju (45) died at the government-run J J Hospital on Friday night after allegedly being beaten up by a woman official of the jail on June 23.

The Byculla jail, located in the heart of the city, houses around 251 inmates. The police had earlier said Manju, whose death triggered protests in the prison, was allegedly tortured and a stick was inserted in her private parts.

"These allegations are part of an FIR filed against the jail staff. We are probing the matter," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone-3), Akhilesh Singh had said. Following Manju's death, the enraged inmates rose in protest on Saturday, some of them went to the prison's terrace, while others made a bonfire of newspapers and documents inside the premises to express their anger.

Later, the Nagpada police booked nearly 200 inmates of the Byculla jail, including Sheena Bora murder case accused Indrani Mukerjea, who is lodged in the same prison, for rioting, unlawful assembly, assault on a public servant and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Indrani yesterday moved a Mumbai court alleging that she was beaten up by the jail officials after the convict's death triggered a protest in the prison.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was gifted a bicycle by his Netherlands counterpart Mark Rutte during his visit to that country during the last leg of his 3-nation tour. The PM is now back in India. As the high profile meeting ended, Rutte gifted a bike to the PM.

In the photograph, a beaming Modi is seen posing with the cycle as a beaming Rutte looks on. The PM also addressed the Indian diapsora in The Netherlands yesterday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that the Netherlands is a natural partner in Indias economic development and thanked the key European nation for backing Indias Missile Technology Control Regime membership. "The world is inter-dependant and inter-connected. We would discuss both bilateral issues and those concerning the world, Prime Minister Modi said ahead of talks with Mark Rutte.

All operations at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port were suspended on Wednesday after reports of the 'Petya' Ransomware infecting India's largest container port emerged.


The 'Petya' ransomware has caused disruption at firms across the US and Europe including advertising giant WPP, French construction materials company Saint-Gobain and Russian steel and oil  firms Evraz and Rosneft.


The food giant Mondelez, legal firm DLA Piper, Danish shipping and transport giant AP Moller-Maersk and Heritage Valley Health System, which runs hospitals and care facilities in Pittsburgh, also said their systems had been hit by the malware.


The ransomware is similar to WannaCry in terms of demanding bitcoins to unlock the encrypted files.


Infected computers display a message demanding a Bitcoin ransom worth USD 300. Those who pay are asked to send confirmation of payment to an email address. However, that email address has been shut down by the email provider, reported the Guardian.

Office of RG @OfficeOfRG tweets: Against the ideology of divisiveness she represents the values that bind us as a nation & a ppl. Proud to have @meira_kumar ji as our candidate

Congress President Sonia Gandhi with the Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar. 

Union minister Venkaiah Naidu files fourth set of nomination papers on behalf of NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind.Today is the last day of filing nomination papers for the presidential polls which will be held on July 17.

Meira Kumar is a five-time Member of Parliament. She was elected unopposed as the first woman Speaker of Lok Sabha and served from 2009 to 2014. She is a lawyer and a former diplomat. Prior to being a member of the 15th Lok Sabha, she has been elected earlier to the 8th, 11th, 12th and 14th Lok Sabha.


Today is the last date of filing the nomination papers for the presidential polls. 

Image: Senior UPA leaders pose at Parliament House with Meira Kumar just before she filed her nomination papers.

Just in: Opposition presidential nominee Meira Kumar files her nomination papers for the post of the President of India.

Meira Kumar is filing her nomination at the Parliament House. The Opposition parties had declared Meira Kumar as their candidate for the Presidential post, days after the NDA declared Ram Nath Kovind as their choice.

Present in the Parliament House are Sharad Pawar, Sonia Gandhi, Kamal Nath, Sitaram Yechury, Digvijaya Singh, D Raja, Mallikarjuna Kharge, Ashok Chavan, Dr Manmohan Singh, M Siddaramaiah among senior leaders.

This will be the second occasion when a Dalit will occupy the highest constitutional office. The first was K R Narayanan, who was in the Rashtrapati Bhavan in 1997-2002. 

Meira Kumar has filed four sets of nomination papers, as did Ram Nath Kovind, before the Lok Sabha Secretary General, Anoop Mishra. 

India today persuaded the US to use some of its toughest language against Pakistan in recent years on terrorism but a cautious Prime Minister Narendra Modi appeared to yield the lead to President Donald Trump on bilateral niggles at their first meeting.


India agreed to a "comprehensive" - and unprecedented - review of its trade relationship with the US, implicitly acknowledging it was not "fair" at present.


The friction in economic ties is emerging as the partnership's biggest test under Trump. Interspersed by at least three hugs and handshakes each, the meeting between Modi and Trump avoided the tense moments that have marked many of the US President's engagements with other key world leaders. Read more

The Indian Express: A man was beaten up and part of his house set on fire by a mob after a dead cow was reportedly found outside his house in a village under Deori police station area of Giridih district on Tuesday afternoon, police said.

According to the police, a mob attacked the house of Usman Ansari at Beria Hatiatand village in Deori area, nearly 200 km from Ranchi, on Tuesday after some people spotted the carcass of a cow.

By the time the police reached the spot, the mob had beaten up Ansari and set fire to a part of his house.

Our men and officials braved the crowd and immediately rescued Ansari and his family members. When the police tried to take him to hospital, there was resistance from the crowd. There was heavy stone-pelting. We had to open fire in the air, said Jharkhand police spokesperson and ADG (Operations) R K Mullik.

One person, identified as Krishna Pandit, was injured when the police fired several rounds in the air to disperse the mob. About 50 policemen were reportedly injured in the stone-pelting.

Both Ansari and Pandit are reported to be in a stable condition and have been shifted to a hospital in Dhanbad for better medical care.

The mob was highly charged and nearly 50 of our men sustained injuries in the stone-pelting. The situation has been brought under control, said Mullik.

Over 200 security personnel, including senior officers, have been deployed at the spot.

Representational image of a gang of gau rakshaks.

Delhi: Opposition Presidential candidate Meira Kumar pays tribute at Rajghat before filing her nomination. 

Update on Mustafa Dossa's hospitalisation: The 1993 Mumbai blasts accused was admitted to the jail ward of JJ hospital at 3 am today after he developed high fever.

ANI had reported that Dossa had earlier informed the special TADA court that he had a heart problem and wanted to undergo a bypass surgery.

The prosecution has sought the death sentence for Dossa. 

Opposition presidential candidate Meira Kumar will file her nomination at 11 am today.

Meira Kumar yesterday held a press conference reiterating that there should not be one upmanship on caste for the post of President.

Speaking on the emergence of two factions, each supporting the two presidential candidates, Kumar said that 17 political parties have extended their support to her.

"I have written to the collegium of MPs and MLAs and asked for their support. I have requested them to listen to the inner voice of conscience," she said.

Responding to a poser on Janata Dal (United) supporting NDA presidential candidate Ram Nath Kovind, Kumar said, "Such things happen in politics. I will decide what to do at the right time."

Kumar said that she will start her presidential campaign from Gujarat's Sabarmati Ashram.

Kumar has been pitted against National Democratic Alliance presidential nominee Ram Nath Kovind by the opposition.

The presidential elections are set to take place on July 17.

Tension mounted in a Haryana village after a few blue flags inscribed with '786' were put up at an under-construction temple. The number 786 is considered holy in Islam.


The incident took place two days after a group of men entered a mosque at Anchra Khurd village in Jind district and allegedly injured three people including an Imam, police said.


Policemen have been deployed in the village to maintain law and order. After the attack on the Imam on Sunday night, Senior Superintendent of Police Shashank Anand reached the village along with administration officials and spent the whole night there to keep the situation under control. Though it was a tense Eid, but the village did not witness any untoward incident due to the presence of police.

1993 Mumbai blasts convict Mustafa Dossa has been hospitalised. Dossa is believed to be unwell, but details are awaited.

This comes even as the CBI last week sought the death penalty ​for Dossa and Feroz Khan on the grounds that the two were close aides of​ fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim​,​ and that they were in constant touch with Dawood even after the blast.

The prosecution told the court that Dossa was an archer​ in part​-​B (the trial against seven accused who were arrested after the initial trial in the case) of the 1993 blast case​,​ and thus deserved nothing less than death.

The Centre has called for amended income tax rules, making it mandatory to link existing Aadhaar numbers with PAN.

The government has also made it mandatory to quote the Aadhaar number or enrolment ID to apply for PAN.

The government's rationale behind linking Aadhaar with PAN is to eliminate fake or multiple PANs held by the same person from the system.

Earlier in June, the Supreme Court upheld the law making Aadhaar mandatory for filing income tax returns and its linkage to PAN.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj personally received Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a bouquet of flowers at the staircase of the special aircraft.