Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday accused Prime Minister led Narendra Modi government of following an oppressive policy instead of attempting to resolve the issue of granting special category status to the state.

Addressing an all-party meeting in Amaravati, Naidu categorically stated that his Telugu Desam Party would now 'stand against' Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

"By standing against Narendra Modi we could, for the first time, bring our problems to the notice of the nation. The centre is going ahead with oppressive policy but they are not thinking to recognise our sentiments and resolve our problems," he added.

Naidu also said that TDP had allied with Bharatiya Janata Party because of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's assurance to help develop the bifurcated state.

"Even during 2014 general election, we did not try for alliance with BJP. Prime Minister Modi himself came to us, said that BJP is sympathetic towards Andhra, let us work together for development of the state. Then only I allied with them, just for the sake of state's interests," he said.  -- ANI

Several people were killed and injured on Saturday when a vehicle ploughed into pedestrians in the German city of Munster, local media reports said.

The DPA news agency said a car had hit bystanders in the western city.

Police confirmed there had been casualties but did not immediately say what happened.

'There are deaths and injured. Please avoid the area, we are on scene,' the regional police service said on Twitter.

Police also urged people to avoid 'speculation' about the incident.

According to the online edition of the Spiegel magazine, German authorities were 'assuming' the incident was an attack, though there was no immediate official confirmation.

The driver of the vehicle has killed himself, agencies quoted police as saying.

"The driver shot himself," a police spokeswoman said.  -- Agencies

Photograph: Kind courtesy @joshdcaplan/Twitter

Pakistan today summoned India's Deputy High Commissioner in Islamabad J P Singh to protest 'unprovoked ceasefire violations' by Indian forces along the Line of Control.

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal summoned Singh and condemned the 'unprovoked ceasefire violations' today in Nikial sector.

Faisal alleged Indian forces along the LoC and the international border are continuously targeting civilian populated areas with heavy weapons.

He claimed that 'unprecedented' escalation in ceasefire violations by India is continuing from the year 2017 when Indian forces committed 1,970 ceasefire violations.

"The deliberate targeting of civilian populated areas is indeed deplorable and contrary to human dignity, international human rights and humanitarian laws," he said adding that ceasefire violations by India are a threat to regional peace and security and may lead to a strategic miscalculation.

He urged the Indian side to respect the 2003 ceasefire arrangement, investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations, instruct Indian forces to respect the ceasefire, in letter and spirit and maintain peace on the LoC and the international border.

He also urged India to permit the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) to play its mandated role as per UN Security Council resolutions.

India maintains that the UNMOGIP has outlived its utility and is irrelevant after the Shimla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of Control.  -- PTI

Salman Khan arrives in Mumbai from Jodhpur. Photograph: ANI

A non- schedule flight, which was asking for permission to make an emergency landing at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport has landed safely.

The Russia-bound aircraft from Vietnam with 345 passengers on board made an emergency landing at the T-3 terminal of the IGIA, after suffering an engine failure, Delhi International Airport Limited said.

At least eight fire tenders were present when the aircraft landed in the airport.

Further details are awaited.  -- ANI

Statues of Dalit icon Dr B R Ambedkar were damaged in villages of Ballia and Badaun districts of the state, the latest incidents of vandalism in a series of such acts.

In Ballia's Thedwari village in the Nagra police station area, the right hand, leg and head of the statue was found damaged this morning, police station in-charge Ram Dinesh Tewari said.

The incident led to tension. Deputy Superintendent of Police Avdhesh Chaudhary rushed to the spot with additional force and placated the locals.

In Badaun, the statue at Ambedkar park in Dugraiya village was found damaged. Superintendent of Police Kamal Kishore said the police covered the vandalised statue with cloth and started a probe into the incident.

Additional force has been deployed and cases have been registered against unidentified persons. Similar incidents have taken place in Firozabad, Etah, Siddhartnagar and Allahabad districts recently.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has issued directives to the district magistrates and SPs to take steps for ensuring security of the statues installed in their respective districts.  -- PTI

Image only for representation.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today underwent a series of medical tests at AIIMS ahead of his kidney transplant surgery.

Jaitley, 65, who was admitted to AIIMS last evening in New Delhi, has been kept under observation.

Sources said that keeping a kidney transplant patient under one-day observation is a routine medical procedure and his surgery is likely to be done tomorrow.

Jaitley is suffering from a kidney ailment and has not been attending office since Monday.

He has not even taken oath of office after being re-elected to the Rajya Sabha. Sources said the minister, who was kept in a 'controlled environment' at home, was shifted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences last evening.

A kidney transplant operation was scheduled for today and all formalities for a donor kidney were also completed.

The minister, who cancelled his scheduled visit to London for the 10th India-United Kingdom Economic and Financial Dialogue next week, had confirmed his illness in a tweet yesterday.

'I am being treated for kidney related problems and certain infections that I have contracted,' he had tweeted.

Jaitley, however, had not elaborated on the ailment, but said he was 'currently working from controlled environment at home. The future course of my treatment would be determined by the doctors treating me'.

He is likely to be operated by nephrologist Dr Sandeep Guleria from Apollo hospital, also brother of AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria, who is a family friend of Jaitley.

Jaitley had in September 2014 undergone a bariatric surgery to treat weight gain that he suffered because of a long-standing diabetic condition.

That surgery was first performed at Max Hospital, but he had to be later shifted to AIIMS because of complications.

He had a heart surgery several years ago.  -- PTI

Salman Khan reaches Jodhpur airport. Photograph: ANI

Actor Salman Khan walks out of Jodhpur Central Jail after getting bail.

He left from jail to Jodhpur Airport.

Earlier in the day he was granted bail on security bonds of Rs 25,000 each by the district and sessions judge in the blackbuck poaching case. -- ANI

IMAGE: Salman Khan leaves from Jodhpur Central Jail. Photograph: ANI

Mahipal Bishnoi, the lawyer of Bishnoi community, who fought to convict actor Salman Khan in Blackbuck poaching case, on Saturday informed that the actor again has to appear before the court in person on May 7.

Interacting with the reporters, the lawyer said that the Bollywood actor has been granted bail on two bonds of Rs 25 thousand each and on condition that he cannot leave the country.

"He will have to submit two bonds of Rs 25 thousand each, he cannot leave the nation without the court's permission and will have to appear here again in person on May 7," Mahipal said.

Meanwhile, fans of 'Bhaijaan' are celebrating the release of their favourite actor with great zeal, across the country.

Fans in Mumbai gathered outside Salman's resident and celebrated the 'Dabangg' actor's release.

In Bihar's Patna, the actor's Rakhi sisters of Saba and Farah, celebrated following the court's decision.

The Bollywood actor was granted bail by Jodhpur Court in connection with the Blackbuck poaching case earlier in the day.  -- ANI

Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in Sheena Bora murder case who was admitted to Mumbai's JJ Hospital last night, is stable now and responding to the medications.

"She is much better than yesterday. Her MRI and Blood investigations are done and the report is still awaited so we can't say much. Meanwhile, we are giving her medications as per her symptoms and she is responding well. We will decide her detailed medication and treatment after we receive reports," Dr Sudhir D Nanandkar, JJ Hospital Dean told ANI.

Earlier in the day, Gunjan Mangla, Indrani's lawyer, was denied an entry into Mumbai's JJ Hospital.

Hospital authorities did not allow her to meet Mukerjea, stating that Mangla needs to take permission from jail authorities first.

Mukerjea, who is also the former head of INX media, was admitted to the JJ Hospital in Byculla late on Friday night.

As per reports, she was rushed to the emergency ward in a delirious condition. Indrani, is currently lodged in Mumbai's Byculla jail on the charges of murder of her daughter Sheena.  -- ANI

Pakistan has raised the Kashmir issue with UN Security Council president, saying the situation in the valley and the 'escalation' of tension along the Line of Control pose a threat to international peace and security.

Pakistan's envoy to the UN Maleeha Lodhi yesterday in a tweet said that she raised the issue of Kashmir with President Of the Security Council for the month of April Ambassador Gustavo Meza-Cuadra, the Permanent Representative of Peru to the United Nations.

She said the 'grave situation' in Kashmir and 'escalation on the LoC pose a serious threat to international peace and security'.

Lodhi also discussed the Kashmir situation with members of the Pakistani and Kashmiri community at Pakistan's mission yesterday at a meeting to mark 'Kashmir Solidarity Day', she said in another tweet, posting pictures of the event.

Earlier, Lodhi had tweeted that Pakistan will continue to support the 'heroic struggle of our Kashmiri brothers and sisters'.

Lodhi repeated her stance that a 'peaceful settlement' of the Kashmir issue in accordance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions is a 'pre-requisite for lasting peace and stability' in South Asia.

Pakistan continuously raises the Kashmir issue at the UN seeking the world body's intervention in the dispute with India. But New Delhi has always maintained that Kashmir is a bilateral issue with Islamabad.

While UN Secretary General Antnio Guterres has expressed concern at the situation in Kashmir, the UN has maintained that India and Pakistan need to find a peaceful solution through 'engagement and dialogue'.

Last week, Indian security forces undertook three counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir in which 13 militants were killed, including those responsible for the brutal killing of Lieutenant Umar Fayaz.

Three Army jawans and four civilians were also killed in Anantnag and Shopian districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Out of the 13 terrorists, 11 have been identified and all of them are locals, officials have said.  -- PTI

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi today hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that his friends raced to find strategic partners after the government 're-tendered' $15 billion fighter jet deal.

He was citing a media report in this regard which stated that India was seeking over 100 new fighter jets in the world's largest deal.

'Modi Scam Alert! $ 15 Billion fighter jet deal re-tendered. PM's friends race to tie up strategic partners. Rafale, 40,000 crore loss to exchequer was 'Sayonara' money to French, so PM could re-tender contract and favour friends,' he alleged on Twitter.

Gandhi had earlier launched a scathing attack on the prime minister and his government over the Rafale deal, alleging that it was a 'scam' as the dispensation was not disclosing details of the deal and was neither making public the price of the aircraft.

He had also accused Modi of 'helping his friends' in the defence sector get the contract without any experience after ignoring the public-sector HAL, which was to originally make the Rafale jets indigenously in transfer of technology.

The Congress had also alleged that the government has brought the aircraft at thrice the price that the United Progressive Alliance regime had negotiated with the French company.  -- PTI

Salman Khan granted bail by Jodhpur Court in Black Buck Poaching Case.

He got bail on two bonds of Rs 50,000 each.

Salman is expected to be released by evening today.

He was granted bail after spending two nights at Jodhpur Central Jail.

More details awaited.

Bahujan Samajwadi Party district president of Muzaffarnagar Kamal Gautam has been arrested for allegedly inciting violence during Bharat Bandh called by various Dalit organisations against the alleged dilution of Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) (Prevention of Atrocities) Act by the Supreme Court.

The Uttar Pradesh Police registered more than a dozen cases against him.

Gautam, who was arrested on Friday night, was later sent to judicial custody till April 20 by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate.

He was arrested for allegedly inciting a mob of protestors who turned violent and damaged properties. He was also accused of violating the Section 144.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Anant Dev said, "As per proof, he provided liquor to party workers and thousands of them, in an inebriated condition, were incited to forcefully shut shops, create a ruckus."

Protests across the country turned violent on April 2 after protestors resorted to stone pelting, damaging public properties and rail and various other blockades.

Violent protests were reported from various states, including Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Bihar, Gujarat, and Punjab.The Supreme Court had, on March 20, introduced the provision of anticipatory bail in the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act while directing that there would be no automatic arrest on any complaint filed under the law.

The Centre on Monday filed a review petition in the apex court, seeking reconsideration of its March 20 judgment.    -- ANI

IMAGE: Violent protests in Muzzaffarnagar during Bharat bandh last week. Photograph: PTI Photo

JUST IN: Three, including a teacher, clerk and support staff, arrested from Himachal Pradesh over the leak of CBSE Class 12 Economics paper which was leaked in handwritten form. -- ANI

As Salman Khan spend his second consecutive night at the Jodhpur Central Jail his Bollywood colleagues voiced their support for the 'Sultan' of Bollywood.

Salman's one of the closest friend from Bollywood Preity Zinta, who visited the actor in the jail yesterday, posted an inspirational message on Instagram that read 'Hope is seeing light in spite of being surrounded by darkness'.

'This too shall pass!! When all else fails it's hope one holds on too,' she captioned the picture.

Director Remo D'Souza, who for the first time has directed the 52-year-old star in their upcoming film Race 3, posted a photo of Salman on Twitter and captioned it 'All I know is I love Salman Khan and a big fan of him as an actor but bigger FAN as a human'.

Tiger Zinda Hai director Ali Abbas Zafar, shared a picture of the actor on Instagram with three heart emojis.

Angad Bedi tweeted a photo of Salman from the film and wrote 'Our Tiger... Stay strong bhai'.

Bollywod diva Sonam Kapoor said, 'You're the best! Always by your side Salman Khan'.

Salman's Sultan co-star Amit Sadh said the superstar was the only 'guy other than my own father, I look up to , and want to be like ... love you Sk sir ... and thankyou for being my inspiration'.

Bobby Deol wrote alongside his picture with Salman, 'I love you mamu'.

The two other Khans of Bollywood -- Shah Rukh and Aamir, have not commented on the verdict yet.

A lot of Bollywood celebrities including Sonakshi Sinha, Saif Ali Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Shatrughan and Poonam Sinha, Malaika Arora Khan and Daisy Shah among others have visited Salman's residence Galaxy Apartments to meet his parents.

Filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala, who is a close friend of the actor, is in Jodhpur with Alvira and Arpita.  -- PTI

The questioning of Rajiv Kochhar, ICICI Bank MD and CEO Chanda Kochhar's brother-in-law, by the Central Bureau of Investigation started on the third consecutive day today in connection with the banks Rs 3,250 crore loan to Videocon Group in 2012, officials here said.

Kochhar, the founder of Singapore-based Avista Advisory, appeared at the agency's office in the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai this morning, where he was asked about the role of his company in the restructuring of the loan, they said.

He was asked about the help he extended to Videocon in relation to the loan from ICICI Bank, which was part of a Rs 400-billion credit given by a consortium of 20 banks to the group of Venugopal Dhoot.

He was detained at the Mumbai airport on Thursday, as he was trying to board a flight for a South East Asian country, on the request of the CBI, they said.

The deal recently made news after reports questioned the loan and linked it to a possible quid pro quo that Dhoot allegedly had with NuPower Renewables, a company founded by Deepak Kochhar, Chanda Kochhar's husband and Rajiv Kochhar's brother.

The CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry against Videocon founder Venugopal Dhoot and Deepak Kochhar and unidentified others, they said.

A preliminary inquiry is the first step by the CBI to gather information about the allegations.

If the agency is convinced there exists prima facie material in the matter, it may register a regular case against the accused.  -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart K P Oli issue joint press statement in New Delhi:

There is a long history of India's contribution towards Nepal's development, I have assured PM Oli that this will continue in future, says PM Modi.

"We aim at improving waterways and railways with Nepal. Today we reviewed the progress in various such connectivity projects," he said.

"We have strong relations when it comes to the aspect of security and are committed towards stopping misuse of our open borders," Modi said issuing the statement.

"We have agreed to work towards a new railway line to connect Kathmandu (Nepal) with India," he said.

Oli said, "Nepal attaches great importance to its relations with India, our countries enjoy age old historical ties and have many things to offer to each other."

The two leaders also inaugurated India-Nepal petroleum products pipeline from New Delhi.   -- ANI

Photograph: @MEAIndia/Twitter

The Bharatiya Janata Party -- a partner in the ruling coalition in Bihar -- has accused the administration of having acted in a partisan manner against members of the majority community in the aftermath of the communal flare-ups in various districts recently.

A memorandum to this effect was submitted to the Director General of Police K S Dwivedi yesterday by a party delegation comprising state vice-president Devesh Kumar, chief whip in the state assembly Arun Kumar Sinha, MLA Sanjiv Chaurasia and media in-charge Pankaj Singh.

'In the memorandum, it has been stated that in districts like Aurangabad, Nalanda and Samastipur, the majority community resorted to aggression only upon provocative acts by anti-social elements from among the minority community,' Pankaj Singh said in a statement.

The BJP delegation further alleged 'in the aftermath of the incidents of violence that took place around Ram Navami, those belonging to the majority community have been arrested in large numbers while the administration has gone soft on the minorities'.

The delegation demanded among others release of all innocent people and a high-level enquiry into the alleged partisan approach adopted by the police during such incidents, Singh said.

The state government has drawn a flak over the spate of communal clashes witnessed in various parts of the state in the past few weeks.

Proceedings of the state Assembly during the budget session, which concluded earlier this week, were stalled by opposition parties like the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist a number of times over the issue of the recent spurt in communal violence.

RJD leaders had also targeted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar charging him with having surrendered before an 'aggressive' BJP.

The chief minister had expressed displeasure over communal violence on a number of occasions.  -- PTI

Indrani Mukerjea's lawyer Gunjan Mangla visited Mumbai's JJ Hospital on Saturday afternoon to see her.

However, hospital authorities did not allow her to meet Mukerjea, stating that she needs to take permission from jail authorities first.

More details awaited.  -- ANI

A case has been registered against Dalit leader and Gujarat MLA Jignesh Mewani for allegedly making provocative remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event in Chitradurga, about 200 km from Bengaluru, police said.

The case was filed based on a complaint from a designated 'flying squad officer' on election duty of Chitradurga Assembly Constituency, T Jayanth.

In his complaint, Jayanth alleged that Mewani had made the remarks against Modi, while addressing a gathering at an event in Chitradurga on Friday evening.

Cases were registered under Indian Penal Code Sections 153, 188 117 and 34, police said yesterday.

"The role of youth is important today. When Modi ji arrives at Bengaluru on April 15 to address a public gathering you mingle with the crowd, throw the chairs in the air and disturb his meeting," Mewani was allegedly quoted as saying.

The FIR against Mewani was registered on charges of 'inciting people to foment disturbance' when Modi addresses a public rally in the city, ahead of the May 12 assembly polls.

"You ask him what happened to the promise of two crore jobs every year. If he fails to give any answer, then tell him to go sleep in Himalaya or ring the Rama Temple bells," he had said.  --  PTI

Actor-filmmaker Mahesh Manjrekar believes everyone makes mistakes, but when his superstar friend Salman Khan is at fault, it is 'blown out of proportion'.

"Salman is one guy who is ready to take the rap. He is ready to take the rap, the blame (on himself). He is human at the end of the day. Who doesn't make a mistake? I definitely make a mistake. But when he makes a mistake, it is blown out of proportion," Manjrekar told PTI.

Manjrekar and Salman have worked together in films such as Wanted, Dabangg, Ready and Jai Ho among others.

"Salman is more than a friend to me. I don't know what transpired (in the case), the courts are there to decide. But today if you ask me what is your wish, I would say he should be released tomorrow. He doesn't deserve to be in jail. From two days my wife is asking me what is going to happen, and I am like, he will be out soon," he added.

The Vaastav director believes celebrity status of the Sultan actor made things difficult for him.

"Maybe a thousand people who have hunted an animal have got away. Hunting is legal in places like (South) Africa and other countries. There are (rules) like you can't kill a female animal, can't kill young leopard or lion, so they decide what you are going to kill, they see the balance is maintained.

"Wherever hunting is legal, animals thrive. Here (in India) guys don't know what they are killing, they go and kill on the sly.... kill any animal randomly," he said.

Manjrekar has not met the Khan family yet as he feels it is not the right time to discuss the verdict with them.

"It is not the time to talk about it. There are times when you should let the family bear the grief alone, it is not that if you ask them about it, it is going to reduce their pain," he said.  --  PTI

A Dalit Bharatiya Janata Party MP from Uttar Pradesh's Nagina, Yashwant Singh, wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accused the central government of ignoring the Dalits of the country.

In his letter, Singh claimed that he became an MP because of his reservation.

'Being a Dalit, my capabilities have not been put to use, I only became an MP because of reservation,' the letter read, adding, 'In four years the government has done nothing for the 30 crore Dalits of the country.'

The letter has also appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn the decision on the SC/ST Act.

Recently, Chote Lal Kharwar, tribal MP from Robertsganj, had written a letter to Prime Minister Modi, alleging mistreatment by the Yogi Adityanath-led governmentIn his letter, he had alleged that he met the Chief Minister twice regarding 'corruption' in the district administration and forest department in Chandauli, but was instead 'scolded and thrown out'.

Chhotelal, who is a Dalit, had also complained to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes regarding the matter.  -- ANI

The verdict in actor Salman Khan's bail hearing in the blackbuck poaching case will be announced post lunch, said the actor's lawyer -- Hastimal Saraswat. 

Putting an end to much speculation, Judge Ravindra Joshi has begun hearing arguments for Salman Khan's bail plea in the Jodhpur Sessions Court, as originally scheduled. 

JUST IN: In what comes as a major relief for Salman Khan and the potential fate of his bail hearing, Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi, who was transferred in a "routine shuffle" late last night, is expected to continue on the case.