Families of nine of the 16 miners trapped inside an illegal rat-hole coal mine in Meghalaya since December, have given consent to the district adminitration to stop the ongoing search operations which entered its 130th day on Sunday, officials said.

The bodies of only two victims  one from nearby Lumthari village and another from Assam, have been retrieved from the mine in East Jaintia Hills district early this year.

"We have received letters of consent from the families to stop the ongoing search operations. The letters, submitted by families to the district administration, have been sent to the state government and the same will be submitted to the Supreme Court for granting necessary approval," a senior official said.

Those who have written to the administration include families of two miners hailing from Lumthari village in East Jaintia Hills and the rest from Assam, the official said.

The miners were trapped after water from the nearby Lytein river gushed into the 370-feet deep mine in Lumthari village in the Ksan area on December 13 last year.

Former Bihar chief minister and RJD national vice-president Rabri Devi has accused the BJP of hatching a conspiracy to poison her husband and party supremo Lalu Prasad, a charge dismissed by the saffron party as "baseless".

Prasad, who has been serving jail term in a Ranchi prison following his conviction in fodder scam cases, is currently undergoing treatment for multiple ailments at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Jharkhand capital.

"The BJP government wants to kill Lalu ji by poisoning him in the hospital.

"If the Centre as well as the state governments of Bihar and Jharkhand want to kill him, if they want to kill the entire family of Lalu Prasad, they can do so, but their dictatorship will not be accepted," Rabri Devi said in a minute-long video clip posted on her Twitter handle on Saturday.

The people of Bihar and Jharkhand will come out on streets if anything untoward happens to Prasad, the senior RJD leader asserted.

"Tejashwi had gone to meet Prasad yesterday, but he was not allowed to do so. The autocratic government came out with an order (yesterday) as per which three persons, usually allowed to meet Lalu ji on Saturdays, were stopped from visiting him yesterday," said Rabri Devi. 

The Jharkhand's Birsa Munda jail authorities barred visitors from meeting the incarcerated RJD chief, citing law and order problem.

As per jail norms, Prasad is allowed to meet a maximum of three visitors every Saturday at the Ranchi hospital.

An employee union of Jet Airways has said they will neither let the airline go down nor tolerate casual talk to dismantle it "piece by piece".

 

All India Jet Airways Technicians Associatio, which has around 800 members, has written an open letter.

The letter has come against the backdrop of Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha's reported comments that capable employees of Jet Airways would be absorbed by other airlines.

According to the union, employees who have left have done so due to their financial condition and other commitments.

"We will not let this company go down and will not tolerate this casual talk to dismantle this company piece by piece and give it as doles to airlines of your choice," the letter said.

It also said that many employees have been with Jet Airways for 15-25 years.

"We have given our sweat, blood and tears to this company. Many of us who had left this company, have came back not once but twice and thrice," it added.

Bogged down by cash crunch, Jet Airways shuttered operations temporarily on April 17. Senior airline officials, including CEO Vinay Dube, Saturday met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Dube said Jaitley had assured to look into the issues that forced the cash-strapped airline to halt operations temporarily.

Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, civil aviation secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola, the airline's chief financial officer Amit Agarwal, representatives of pilots, engineers, cabin crew and ground staff unions were also present at the meeting with Jaitley at his residence in Delhi.

Top Left leaders - Sitaram Yechury, D Raja and Sudhakar Reddy - as well as Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar will descend on the soil of Bihar next week to campaign in Begusarai where former JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar is pitted against Union minister and firebrand BJP leader Giriraj Singh.

According to a release issued by the CPI's state headquarters, Yechury will be addressing a rally in Begusarai on April 23 while his CPI counterpart Sudhakar Reddy will be there on the same day and the day after.

The CPI national secretary D Raja will be arriving in Patna on Monday for a five-day tour of Bihar during which he will also campaign for Kanhaiya, his party candidate, from April 23 to 26, the release said.

Akhtar will be in the parliamentary constituency on April 23, the release added.

Meanwhile, critically-acclaimed actor Prakash Raj, who has won the National Award twice and became famous in Bollywood by virtue of his performances as the main antagonist in blockbusters such as "Wanted" and "Singham", landed in the dusty mofussil town on Saturday.

Raj, who claims to have become vocal on politics following the murder of noted journalist, and his close friend Gauri Lankesh in 2017, shared photographs on social media of himself holding hands with the 32-year-old CPI candidate and addressing rallies.

"Begusarai is rising up to Kanhaiya Kumar. As I travel with him, I can see hope in the eyes of the people. Winds of change. I can sense empowerment... I am proud to be by his side," Raj wrote on his Facebook page.

The noted actor, who is also contesting the polls as an Independent from Bengaluru, has indicated that he is likely to campaign for Kanhaiya till Monday.

Incidentally, Raj will be the second Bollywood personality to campaign for Kanhaiya Kumar in Begusarai.

Actress Swara Bhasker addressed a rally a fortnight ago after he had filed his nomination.

Accusing institutional disrupters' of destabilising the institution of Chief Justice of India by lending shoulder to unverified allegations against the head of the apex court, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday suggested that those who peddle falsehood should be dealt in an exemplary manner.

  

 "It's Time to Stand up With the Judiciary", Jaitley said in his blog, a day after allegations of sexual harassment surfaced against CJI Ranjan Gogoi.

The Supreme Court even held an extraordinary hearing on Saturday after a former employee of the apex court accused the CJI of sexual harassment and persecution. The former employee has described two incidents of alleged molestation by Gogoi in her affidavit, both of which allegedly took place in October 2018, only days after he was appointed as the CJI.

Jaitley said: "In terms of personal decency, values, ethics and integrity, the present Chief Justice of India is extremely well regarded. Even when critics disagree with his judicial view, his value system has never been questioned. Lending shoulder to completely unverified allegations coming from a disgruntled person with a not-so-glorious track record is aiding the process of destabilisation of the institution of the Chief Justice of India.

The minister further said that those who peddle falsehood to destroy the institution are not dealt with in an exemplary manner, this trend will only accelerate.

The incident of a junior ex-lady employee of the Supreme Court making harassment charges against the Chief Justice of India has acquired a disproportionate magnitude, Jaitley said.

Such complaints, when they are made in the ordinary course of any administrative functioning, are referred to the appropriate Committee. However, when the complainant distributes copies of her representation to other Judges of the Supreme Court and the media in order to sensationalise her allegations, it ceases to be routine.

A case was filed against the Congress's Mumbai South Lok Sabha candidate Milind Deora at

Lokmanya Tilak Marg police station here on the direction of the Election Commission for violation of the model code of conduct, an official said Sunday.

Deora, while campaigning in Zaveri Bazar area on April 4, had made an appeal to the Jain community to not vote for the Shiv Sena as it had hurt their religious sentiments earlier.

Following the remarks, Sena supporters had filed a complaint with the Election Commission on April 8.

Deora is pitted against Sena's sitting MP Arvind Sawant for the seat.

"We registered an offence on Saturday against Deora under section 125 of the Representation of the People Act and section 171 of the Indian Penal Code," Dnyaneshwar Chavan, Zone II Deputy Commissioner of Police said on Sunday.

Pope Francis denounced the "cruel violence" of the Easter Sunday slaughter of Christians and foreigners in Sri Lanka as he celebrated the most joyful moment on the Christian liturgical calendar by lamenting the bloodshed and political violence afflicting many parts of the world.

  

Francis skipped his homily during Easter Mass but delivered his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" (To the city and the world) speech highlighting conflicts in the Mideast, Africa and the Americas and demanding that political leaders put aside their differences and work instead for peace.

"May the one who gives us his peace end the roar of arms, both in areas of conflict and in our cities, and inspire the leaders of nations to work for an end to the arms race and the troubling spread of weaponry, especially in the economically more advanced countries," Francis said from the loggia of St. Peter's Basilica overlooking the flower-decked square below.

In a special appeal at the end, Francis lamented the "grave attacks" on Sri Lankan hotels and churches, which occurred just as the Christian faithful were celebrating Easter Mass that marks the resurrection of Christ following his crucifixion.

"I want to express my loving closeness to the Christian community, targeted while they were gathered in prayer, and all the victims of such cruel violence," Francis said. "I entrust to the Lord all those who were tragically killed and pray for the injured and all those who are suffering as a result of this dramatic event." 

There have been many calls within the Congress asking Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to contest the national elections from Uttar Pradesh. Priyanka Gandhi, who has been tasked to lead the partys campaign in eastern UP, hasnt spoken her mind on the demand and left it to her brother and party chief Rahul Gandhi to take the call.

Lets see. Let there be some suspense for now! he said in an interview to Hindustan, a sister publication of Hindustan Times.

On previous occasions, Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that the primary goal that he had set for sister Priyanka wasnt the 2019 Lok Sabha elections but to get the party in fighting shape and win the 2022 UP state elections.

But Priyanka Gandhi has been getting bundles of requests from party workers to take the poll plunge.

Like when she was interacting with party workers in mother Sonia Gandhis Rae Bareli constituency last month. Priyanka, who had been asked to contest the election from Rae Bareli, shot back smiling: Why not Varanasi.

That riposte had reignited buzz around her poll plunge, and a possibility that she might face off with Prime Minister Narendra Modi who represents the te

Known for his gaffes, US President Donald Trump yet again committed a faux pas on Sunday as he erroneously wrote that "138 million people" were killed in a string of blasts in Sri Lanka.

  

The near-simultaneous attacks on Easter Sunday at three churches and as many luxury hotels frequented by foreigners, killing more than 160 people and injured over 450 others, shattering a decade of peace in the country after the end of the brutal civil war with the LTTE.

US President Trump offered "heartfelt condolences" to the people of Sri Lanka and said the US stood ready to help.

The US leader, however, erroneously wrote that "138 million people" were killed in the attacks instead of just 138.

"Heartfelt condolences from the people of the United States to the people of Sri Lanka on the horrible terrorist attacks on churches and hotels that have killed at least 138 million people and badly injured 600 more. We stand ready to help!" Trump said in a tweet which was taken down after more than 20 minutes.

Trump's tweet did not go unnoticed by the agile twitterati who started poking fun at the appalling tweet.

"138 million? Maybe you should wait for the facts pops," wrote one follower of the Us president.

"We are a population of 20 million. 138 million is mathematically impossible. Keep your icky condolences, we don't want it," responded another user.

"138 million! More than the population of Sri Lanka. We are now an empty Country as per Donald!!" said another follower.

Trump is known for his wrong tweets and for using embarrassing nicknames as well as 'mispronouncing names' of people such as "Jeff Bozo" in reference to Jeff Bezos of Amazon. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called up the president and the premier of Sri Lanka and conveyed heartfelt condolences over the loss of over 160 lives in terrorist attacks in the island nation on Sunday.

During his conversations with Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena and prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Modi condemned the serial terrorist attacks in the strongest terms, perpetrated at sites including religious places and during a religious festival, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.

Describing the attacks as "cold-blooded and pre-planned barbaric acts", Modi said these attacks were another grim reminder of the most serious challenge posed to the entire humanity by terrorism in our region and the entire world. 

The Prime Minister renewed the offer of all possible help and assistance to Sri Lanka for ensuring its security against the challenges such as those posed by terrorism, the PMO statement said. 

He also wished the injured speedy recovery and offered any required assistance for their treatment. 

Condemning the blasts, Modi said there is no place for barbarism in the region and that India stands in solidarity with the people of the island nation.

"Strongly condemn the horrific blasts in Sri Lanka. There is no place for such barbarism in our region," he tweeted.

"My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with the injured," Modi said.  

"Hundreds of innocent people were killed by terrorist in Sri Lanka. They were doing prayers in Church and celebrating Easter, at that time, terrorists killed scores of people including children and women. I express my condolence," Modi said later addressing a public meeting in Rajasthan's Chittorgarh.

"India is standing by Sri Lanka and is ready for any help in the time of crisis," he said. 

Expressing concern over the menace of terrorism, Modi also took this opportunity to stress on voting in favour of the BJP to strengthen the fight against terrorism in India. 

For the second time in three weeks, Congress general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh (East) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday hinted that she was not averse to taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency. However, Priyanka said the decision on her candidature from Varanasi rests with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi.

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Interacting with the media just before departing from Kerala after winding up her two-day trip to Wayanad, Priyanka said, If Congress President asks me to contest, I will be happy to contest (from Varanasi).

There have been many calls within the Congress Varanasi unit asking Priyanka to contest the national elections from the temple town.

The talk about Priyanka contesting from Varanasi started when she herself made a remark during an interaction with party leaders and workers in Rae Bareli, the constituency of her mother Sonia Gandhi.

Lieutenant General Deependra Singh Hooda on Sunday condemned Malegaon blast accused and BJP candidate from Bhopal constituency Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur's comments on 26/11 hero Hemant Karkare, saying security forces need to be respected.

Yes it does hurt when such things are said about a martyr, be it from the Army or the Police, full respect should be given. These utterances are not good, General Hooda, who was the Northern Army Commander during the 'surgical strike' in September 2016, said at the official release of his report on national security for the Congress.

Thakur had earlier said late ATS chief Karkare, who lost his life in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, died because she had "cursed" him.

"He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month later 'sutak' (ritual observed after death of a family member) was going to start ... just over a month later, he was shot dead by terrorists and the inauspicious period ended," she said.

Under attack from all quarters, she clarified her controversial remarks and said she was taking back her statement."I felt that the enemies of the country were extracting benefit from my comment, therefore I take back my statement and apologise for it. It was my personal pain," she had said. "He (Hemant Karkare) died from the bullets of terrorists from the enemy country, he is certainly a martyr," she added.

Karkare was killed along with two other senior police officers while fighting terrorists during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in November 2008.

The BJP distanced itself from the controversial comment saying it was her personal view which she might have made "due to years of physical and mental torture". "BJP considers Karkare a martyr. This is Sadhvi Pragya's personal statement which she might have given because of the mental and physical torture she had faced," the party said.

Here's the full statement. 

Predicting a hung Parliament, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath says the Congress will do "very, very well" but is unlikely to get a majority and there will have to be a post-poll alliance to form a new government in Delhi.

The Congress veteran added that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party will not be able to occupy the power seat as it will not get the numbers and no other major political party will form an alliance with it either.

"Of course, we are going to do very, very well but I do not see us reaching a majority and there will have to be a post-poll alliance and this post-poll alliance will throw up different types of combinations," Nath said at his residence on Saturday night.

He was asked to project the average number of seats his party could win in the polls to the 17th Lok Sabha and whether the grand old party will enter into an alliance at the Centre to form a government.

"If there is an alliance, the alliance will take decisions. There are today two types -- one is anti-BJP and one is pro-BJP. The pro-BJP numbers are very small and for anti-BJP you see the entire political spectrum is against it.

"So, whatever numbers are thrown up (is to be seen). BJP is trying to think that they will ever be able to form a government (but that) is too far fetched. Because they will neither have numbers, nor will other political parties go with them," the Madhya Pradesh chief minister said after wrapping up a day of campaigning in Chhindwara and neighbouring districts.

Asked if Congress president Rahul Gandhi would occupy the PM's chair once their party forms the government, Nath said confidently, "Of course, if we have the numbers, Rahul Gandhi is the obvious PM."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he had warned Pakistan of consequences if it had not returned Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman.

  

Addressing a poll rally at Patan in his home state Gujarat, he also took a jibe at NCP leader Sharad Pawar, saying if he is unaware of his next move, then how Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan can gauge what he will do.

Following the air strike at Balakot terror camp in Pakistan, there was a dogfight between Indian and Pakistani fighter planes on February 27 in which IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman was captured by the neighbouring country.

Before his jet was hit, the IAF pilot downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan. He was released on the night of March 1 by Pakistan.

Referring to it, Modi said after the pilot was caught, the opposition started seeking a reply from him over this.

"We conducted a press conference and warned Pakistan that if anything happened to our pilot, you will keep telling the world that Modi did this to you," he said.

"A senior American official said on the second day that Modi has kept ready 12 missiles and might attack and the situation will deteriorate. Pakistan announced to return the pilot on the second day, else it was going to be a "qatal ki raat'," Modi said.

"This was said by America, I have nothing to say about this now, I will speak about it when the time will come," he added.

Asserting his government's commitment towards national security, Modi said whether the prime minister's chair remains or not, he has decided that either he will be alive or terrorists will remain alive.

He also took a swipe at Pawar, who on Saturday said he was "terribly afraid" as to what Modi, who once called Pawar his mentor in politics, would do next.

"Sharad Pawar says I don't know what will Modi do. If he is unaware of what Modi will do tomorrow, how will Imran Khan know? Modi said.

Sri Lanka's police chief made a nationwide alert 10 days before Sunday's bomb attacks in the country that suicide bombers planned to hit "prominent churches", according to the warning.

  

Police chief Pujuth Jayasundara sent an intelligence warning to top officers on April 11 setting out the threat.

"A foreign intelligence agency has reported that the NTJ (National Thowheeth Jama'ath) is planning to carry out suicide attacks targeting prominent churches as well as the Indian high commission in Colombo," said the alert.

The NTJ is a radical Muslim group in Sri Lanka that came to notice last year when it was linked to the vandalisation of Buddhist statues.

At least 129 people were killed in six bomb attacks Sunday that included three churches.

The district election officer has served another notice to BJP candidate from Bhopal Sadhvi Pragya Thakur on her statement that she had taken part in the demolition of the disputed shrine at Ayodhya in 1992.

Pragya Thakur in an interview with a TV news channel reportedly said, We will build a Ram temple and we will build an imposing (temple). We had gone there to demolish the structure. I climbed up on the structure to raze it and I feel proud of this. God had given strength to us and we removed a scar on the face of the country.

In the notice issued to her on Saturday evening, the district election officer, Bhopal, Sudham Khade has sought an explanation from Thakur within a day while mentioning the statement in the notice.

The DEO says in the notice, The statement seems to be in violation of chapter 4 of the model code of conduct which states No activity, which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different caste/communities/religious/linguistic groups, shall be attempted.

Earlier, the DEO found a violation of the model code of conduct in Thakurs remarks on former Mumbai anti-terror squad chief Hemant Karkare and a notice was served to her by the chief electoral officer Madhya Pradesh VL Kantharao on Saturday.

Pragya Thakur had said in a programme that Karkare had died because of her curse. 

The death toll in the multiple blasts in Sri Lanka has risen to 129. 

The blasts hit several high-end hotels and a church in Colombo, while two other churches were targeted outside Colombo, Sri Lanka police said. 

The nature of the explosions, which happened at around 8:45 am local time, was not immediately clear and there were no immediate claims of responsibility.

The Sri Lanka government has called an emergency meeting, the Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution, Harsha de Silva, said in a tweet. "Emergency meeting called in a few minutes. Rescue operations underway," he tweeted.

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said he was shocked by the explosions and urged for calm.

India on Sunday said that it was closely monitoring the situation in Sri Lanka, where six near simultaneous blasts hit three churches and three hotels on Easter Sunday leaving scores dead.

  

The blasts occurred at around 8.45 am (local time) as the Easter Sunday masses were in progress in churches.

"Explosions have been reported in Colombo and Batticaloa today. We are closely monitoring the situation. Indian citizens in need of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may call the following numbers : +94777903082 +94112422788 +94112422789," the Indian high commission in Colombo tweeted.

Three churches - St Anthony's Church in Colombo, St Sebastian's Church in the western coastal town of Negombo and another church in the eastern town of Batticaloa - were targeted.

Three explosions were reported from the five-star hotels, the Shangri-La, the Cinnamon Grand and the Kingsbury.

"In addition to the numbers given, Indian citizens in need of assistance or help and for seeking clarification may also call the following numbers +94777902082 +94772234176," the high commission tweeted.

At least 42 people have been killed and hundreds injured after explosions in three churches and three hotels in and around the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, according to sources.

The blasts hit several high-end hotels and a church in Colombo, while two other churches were targeted outside Colombo, Sri Lanka police said.

The nature of the explosions was not immediately clear.

The first explosions were reported at St Anthony's Church in Colombo and St Sebastian's Church at Katuwapitiya in the town of Negombo

"A bomb attack to our church, please come and help if your family members are there," read a post in English on the Facebook page of the St Sebastian's Church.

Soon after the initial reports, four other blasts were confirmed by the police. Three of those were at hotels, while another was reported from a church in the town of Batticaloa.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, responding to the explosions, said that she is in close touch with the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo and that the government was closely monitoring the situation in the neighbouring country.

A first information report has been registered at LT Marg Police Station against Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora for violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC), police said on Sunday.

This comes two days after the Maharashtra State Election had asked LT Marg police to file an FIR against Deora after his comments on the Jain community were found 'false and religiously sensitive'.

The EC looked into the matter after it received a complaint from a Shiv Sena leader.

On April 4, Deora, while addressing an event at Zhaveri Bazar, had accused Shiv Sena of hurting religious sentiments of Jain followers.

The Mumbai Congress president urged the community to teach them a lesson by not voting for the party in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

"Shiv Sena has been against the minorities. A few years ago, the party insulted the Jain religion by cooking meat outside Jain temples during Paryushana festival.

"Remember, you have to teach them a lesson through your votes," he had said at an event.

The FIR has been registered under section 171 of Indian Penal Code (giving a false statement for elections) and section 125 of the Representation of People Act, 1951 ( promoting enmity between classes in connection with elections).Paryushana, an annual event where Jain community observes fast for a period of eight days, is usually celebrated in August or September.   -- ANI

At least 80 people were injured when multiple explosions hit two churches in Sri Lanka on Sunday as worshippers attended Easter services, officials and police said.

The blasts occurred at around 8.45 am (local time) as the Easter Sunday masses were in progress, police spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said. One of the blasts hit St Anthony's Church in Kochchikade of the capital, Colombo.

The Colombo National Hospital said at least 80 people have been admitted with injuries. It was not immediately clear if the blasts had caused casualties.

"A bomb attack to our church, please come and help," read a facebook post from St Sebasitian's Church at Katuwapitiutya, in the Western coastal town of Negombo.  -- PTI

Miffed by loud sloganeering allegedly by Samajwadi Party workers during her address at a rally in Firozabad, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati said that the SP workers need to learn how to listen attentively from BSP people.

"The sloganeering and shouting you (SP) do in the middle of a speech, I think you should learn a little from the BSP people how they listen carefully to what I say. The SP people need to learn a lot," said Mayawati at a joint rally of the SP-BSP alliance which was also attended by SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress and other opposition parties, Mayawati said that voters should be careful not to fall for their tactics.

"Parties are going all out to create an environment favour able for them by manipulating the media, opinion polls and surveys. Voters should not be misled by these things," she said.

"People should be able to see through the tall promises in manifestos of political parties and not get lured by it, Mayawati added.

Burying decades-old hatchet, the SP and BSP have joined forces to take on the Congress and BJP in Uttar Pradesh.   -- ANI

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who became the face of the tense military confrontation between India and Pakistan, has been shifted out of Srinagar and posted to a frontline air base in the western sector, official sources said on Saturday.

It is also learnt that the Indian Air Force was going to recommend Varthaman's name for Vir Chakra, the coveted wartime gallantry medal, which is the third highest after the Paramvir Chakra and the Mahavir Chakra.

Varthaman, who was captured by Pakistan on February 27 during an aerial combat with Indian Air Force, had returned to his squadron in Srinagar last month though he was on a four-week sick leave.

Orders have been issued for his transfer from Srinagar to another base in the western sector, sources said, terming the transfer as 'routine one'.

The IAF pilot went on leave in mid-March after security agencies completed a nearly two-week debriefing following his return from Pakistan.

Sources said a medical board will review his fitness to help the IAF top brass decide whether he can return to fighter cockpit as desired by him.

Varthaman was captured by the Pakistani Army on February 27 after his MiG-21 Bison jet was shot down in a dogfight with Pakistani jets during aerial combat.

Before his jet was hit, he downed an F-16 fighter of Pakistan. Varthaman was released on the night of March 1 by Pakistan.

After he was captured, Varthaman showed courage and grace in handling the most difficult circumstances for which he was praised by politicians, strategic affairs experts, ex-servicemen, celebrities and people in general.

Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26.

Pakistan retaliated by attempting to target Indian military installations the next day. However, the IAF thwarted their plans.

The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing 41 soldiers.   -- PTI

Delhi Congress chief Sheila Dikshit on Saturday said the names of candidates for the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital will be announced in a couple of days.

She was talking to reporters after inaugurating a control room at the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) office for the Lok Sabha election campaign.

"The party will announce the candidates tomorrow or day after," Dikshit said.

When asked about her fighting the polls from Chandni Chowk, she said, "I have also heard about it. Let the party decide."

The centralised control room will coordinate with the control rooms in all the seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi and disseminate relevant information regarding the Congress candidates' election campaign, the DPCC said.

There are seven separate desks at the DPCC control room to collate information from all the seven parliamentary constituencies, including the detailed campaign schedule, meetings and other programmes of each of the Congress candidate, it said.

There is also a separate legal desk at the control room to advise the candidates on the legal matters that may arise during the election campaign. 

The control room will use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Shakti App,  WhatsApp, SMS and Voice Call extensively for the election campaign.

It will also provide information regarding United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi's public meetings and Congress president Rahul Gandhi and All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's road shows, the DPCC said.

The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday said an alliance just in Delhi is not possible after the Congress refused to have a tie-up anywhere else.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that giving three seats to the Congress in the national capital would mean 'giving three seats to the Bharatiya Janata Party', when asked his opinion on the 4:3 seat sharing formula proposed by the Congress.

He said the Congress first proposed 6:3:1 seat sharing formula to the AAP in Haryana where six seats would be for Congress, three for Janayak Janata Party and one seat for AAP.  -- PTI