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Tue, 06 October 2020
Minister who shared stage with Rahul gets Covid
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23:46 Minister who shared stage with Rahul gets Covid
Punjab Health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu who recently shared the stage with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday, a health officer said.
He has mild fever and a sore throat, Mohali civil surgeon Manjit Singh said.
The minister is stable and in isolation at home.
People who have come in contact with him will also be tested, the doctor said.
Sidhu was in Sangrur on Monday for Kheti Bachao Yatra, taking part in a protest against the new farm laws.
The event was also attended by Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and other senior Congress leaders.
Gandhi led a series of tractor rallies in the state for three days against the new laws. On Tuesday afternoon, he entered neighbouring Haryana to continue with the protests. -- PTI
23:25
National Startup Awards 2020
23:24
National Startup Awards 2020
22:43 Terrorists fire at J-K BJP leader, guard killed
Terrorists attacked a Bharatiya Janata Party leader in Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, leaving his personal security guard dead, while an ultra was also killed in the retaliatory action, police said.
The terrorists shot at on Ghulam Qadir, a district vice president of the BJP, near his residence at Nunner in Ganderbal, a police official said.
The injured security guard was rushed to SKIMS hospital at Soura for treatment, but he succumbed to injuries, the official said, adding the BJP leader was safe.
In the retaliatory action by the security personnel, one militant was also killed, the official said. -- PTI
22:13 BJP releases first list for Bihar polls
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday released its first list of 27 candidates for the three-phase Bihar assembly polls, starting from October 28.
The names include international shooter Shreyasi Singh from Jamui constituency and former MP Hari Manjhi from Bodhgaya.
Singh had joined the party on Sunday.
All the candidates are for the election's first phase in which 71 seats of the 243-member assembly will go to polls.
The party released the list after the ruling National Democratic Alliance announced its seat-sharing formula for the Bihar assembly polls under which Janata Dal-United will contest on 122 seats and BJP 121. -- PTI
21:56 2 more Vande Bharat flights to go to China
India plans to operate two Vande Bharat flights from Delhi and the Chinese city of Guangzhou on October 23 and 30 to facilitate the travel of Indians stranded due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Air India is planning to operate two flights on Guangzhou-Delhi Sector on October 23 and 30, 2020.
Passage on these flights would be made available on payment basis as per fares to be decided by the airline, an Indian Embassy press release in Beijing said on Tuesday.
The flights facilitate the travel of Indians with valid work visas to return to China and take back those Indians wanting to return home. India has so far operated five Vande Bharat flights to China.
The previous five flights flew to Shanghai, Guangzhou and Ningbo. India also operated three special flights to Wuhan to airlift Indians stranded in the city when the virus was at its peak there in February this year.
The journey would be subject to an undertaking to be provided by individual passengers to abide by all protocols framed by the Government of India, which include a mandatory institutional quarantine of 7 days on payment basis and home quarantine of 7 days following arrival in Delhi, the release said.
Indian nationals and eligible OCI card holders, who wish to travel on one of these flights, must register at the Embassy/Consulates as per jurisdiction by furnishing detail information about them.
Those, who had registered earlier for repatriation, but could not travel by previous Vande Bharat flights, are requested to re-register themselves by sending detail information about them, it said.
For any information/assistance, the Embassy in Beijing and CGI offices in Shanghai and Guangzhou may be contacted by email.
The Indian government has also decided to facilitate persons, who are stranded in India and desirous to travel abroad urgently for various purposes. Indian citizen desirous to travel back to mainland China via special flights due to various reasons, may like to convey their willingness to Embassy's email id (helpdesk.beijing@mea.gov.in ), it said.
Those returning to China need to go through 14-day quarantine in officially designated hotels. -- PTI
20:55 Sushant case: NCP seeks details of fake accounts
Facebook and Twitter should declare who owns fake social media accounts that were allegedly created to defame the Maharashtra government and its police, the Nationalist Congress Party demanded on Tuesday.
The poser from the NCP, a partner in the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, came in the backdrop of news reports about existence of a large number of fake social media accounts.
NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase, in a statement, said that these accounts were created in connection with actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case.
'As many as 80,000 such accounts were opened to defame the Maharashtra government, its ministers and the Mumbai Police to gain benefits in the Bihar elections,' Tapase said, citing a study by an American university.
Facebook and Twitter should declare who owns these fake accounts and from which IP addresses they were created, he demanded.
Tapase also asked the Centre to enact a law to ensure there is no media trial when judicial probe is on in any matter.
Earlier in the day, an official said the cyber cell here has registered two FIRs against unidentified persons for trolling the Mumbai police commissioner on social media and using abusive language against him and the city police.
The police have come to know that several fake social media accounts are being used for the purpose, the official said.
"Several social media account holders are trolling Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh on different platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and using abusive language against him and the force," said Deputy Commissioner of Police, cyber cell, Rashmi Karandikar. -- PTI
20:49 India failed to appoint lawyer for Jadhav: Pak
A Pakistani court was on Tuesday informed that India has failed to appoint a lawyer to represent death-row prisoner Kulbhushan Jadhav in the case of the review of his death sentence by a military court in this country.
This comes after Pakistan on Thursday once again rejected India's demand that an Indian lawyer or a Queen's counsel should be appointed for Jadhav to ensure a free and fair trial in the case.
50-year-old retired Indian Navy officer Jadhav was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017.
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) had last month set a new deadline for India to appoint a legal representative for Jadhav.
The three-member bench headed by IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, while hearing the law ministry's request on Tuesday to provide a counsel to Jadhav was informed that India had failed to appoint a lawyer by October 6 as was instructed by the court despite it being conveyed for the second time to do so.
Justice Minallah then asked the Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan to help determine if the court can appoint a legal representative for Jadhav without India's approval and what consequences such a move would have.
He also asked the AGP if the appointment of a lawyer by the court would provide a satisfactory mechanism for an effective implementation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment in the case.
Later, the court adjourned the hearing in the case till November 9. -- PTI
19:27 Hathras: Ex-BJP MLA among 100 booked for meet
A first information report has been registered against former Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Rajveer Singh Pehelvan and 100 others for a meeting attended by scores of people here defying prohibitory orders.
The meeting was held outside Pehelvan's house on Sunday where they defended the accused in the alleged gang rape of a Dalit woman, who later died, and demanded registration of an FIR against her family members.
Superintendent of Police Vineet Jaiswal said Tuesday, "An FIR has been lodged against former BJP MLA Rajveer Singh Pehelvan for organising a crowd on Sunday. We are probing the matter. The FIR has been lodged against Singh and over 100 unidentified people."
The FIR was lodged at Hathras Gate police station under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
When the SP was asked if there was any 'panchayat' to be held on Tuesday in Hathras, he said it was proposed but organisers cancelled it.
Hundreds of people had gathered at Singh's residence on Sunday where they welcomed the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to order a CBI probe into the Hathras incident.
"We welcome the CBI inquiry ordered by the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. We have faith in the investigation," one of the organisers of the meeting had said, while claiming that the victim's family members were not consistent on their stand.
"The entire scenario has been created to blame the government. The accused persons are in favour of any type of inquiry. But the victims are changing their stand every now and then. They do not want a narco test or a CBI probe. Now they want other kinds of inquiries," he had claimed.
He had said that an FIR should be registered by police against the complainants in the case.
"Our demand is that a case should be filed against those people who had filed the case in the first instance," he had said.
The 19-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped by four upper caste men in Hathras on September 14.
She died on September 29 at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital where she had been brought for treatment. -- PTI
18:40 Haven't offered to examine Sushant case: Vardhan
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Tuesday clarified on an 'incorrect claim' regarding the death case of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Vardhan said that a section of the media has reported that he offered to take personal cognisance of the case.
'An INCORRECT claim is being made in a section of the media that I have offered to take personal cognisance of Sushant death case. I've NOT spoken to anyone nor offered to examine any case. Please refrain from believing any unverified statements,' Vardhan tweeted.
The All India Institute of Medical Sciences' Forensic Medical Board has confirmed that actor Sushant Singh Rajput died by suicide, ruling out the murder angle.
"We have concluded our conclusive report. It is a case of hanging and death by suicide," Dr Sudhir Gupta, AIIMS Forensic Head told ANI on Saturday.
"There were no injuries over the body other than hanging. There were no marks of struggle/ scuffle in the body and clothes of the deceased," said Dr Gupta who is chairman of the AIIMS Forensic Medical Board comprising seven doctors. -- ANI
17:56 JD-U to contest 122 Bihar seats, BJP from 121
The National Democratic Alliance has reached a seat-sharing agreement for the forthcoming Bihar assembly polls.
According to the formula agreed upon, the Janata Dal-United will contest from 122 seats while the Bharatiya Janata Party will contest from 121 seats in the 243-member assembly, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced today.
The JD-U will give seven seats to Jitan Ram Manjhi's Hindustani Awam Morcha from its quota, Nitish Kumar announced at the joint press conference of the NDA.
Details soon. -- PTI
17:24 H'yana blinks, allows entry to Rahul's kisan rally
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been allowed to enter Haryana from Punjab as part of party's 'Kheti Bachao Yatra'. Rahul Gandhi's tractor rally, as part of party's 'Kheti Bachao Yatra', from Nurpur in Patiala was stopped at the Haryana border. Rahul tweeted, ""I am not moving and am happy to wait here. 1 hour, 5 hours, 24 hours, 100 hours, 1000 hours or 5000 hours."
A heavy police deployment has been made at the Haryana-Punjab border ahead of Gandhis arrival.
Kurukshetras deputy commissioner, Sharandeep Kaur Barar, said guidelines have been issued to the rallys organisers and they have to follow the norms related to the Covid-19 pandemic.
She said there is no limit on the tractors coming from Punjab but they have to follow all the guidelines strictly as the gathering of over 100 people are prohibited.
Representational image
17:12 Indian banks face tough operating environment in near term: Fitch
Fitch Ratings on Tuesday said Indian banks face a tough operating environment in the near term as stressed loans and write-offs increase due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. It said limited room for fiscal support, fragilities in the financial system and a continuing rise in Covid-19 cases are hampering normalisation of activity.
"Indian banks face a tough operating environment in the near term, as stressed loans and write-offs increase as a result of the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, but a swift economic recovery will be critical to limiting loan losses in what is likely to be a protracted period of weakness in the asset-quality cycle," Fitch Ratings said in a statement. Banks have been permitted by the Reserve Bank of India to undertake a one-time restructuring exercise of loans affected by the pandemic, which will provide relief in terms of bad loan recognition and provisioning, Fitch said.
"However, the exercise could leave the sector saddled with a high bad loan burden over the next few years if restructured loans do not perform according to agreed milestones," it added. Fitch said the central bank's data shows that Indian banks wrote off nearly USD 85 billion over FY14-FY19, of which state-owned banks contributed nearly 80 per cent -- PTI
17:09 MP: Woman claims to have info in Sushant case, seeks security
A woman claiming to have vital information in actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death case has demanded security from police in Madhya Pradesh, a senior official said on Tuesday. Deputy Inspector General Harinarayanchari Mishra told reporters that the woman, a Mumbai resident currently staying with her relatives in Indore, recently met him.
"She claimed that she knew Rajput for a long time, and has some vital information about the actor's death," he said without revealing the woman's identity. "She said she will reveal it in a factual manner at an appropriate forum on demand. She has expressed the need for security and we have assured her to provide the same as and when required in a swift manner," the official said.
The woman, who took part in some news debates on the issue of Rajput's death, also complained that her Facebook account was hacked and the cyber cell of police is conducting a probe into it, another police official said. Rajput, 34, was found hanging at his residence in Bandra area of Mumbai on June 14. PTI
Two CRPF personnel were killed and three injured. Pic: Umar Ganie
16:55 LeT behind Monday's attack on CRPF men in J&K
Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit was behind Monday's deadly attack on a CRPF road-opening party in the Nowgam area on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Jammu and Kashmir, in which two personnel were killed and three were injured, a senior police official said on Tuesday.
"We have identified the militants behind the attack. They are from the Lashkar, led by a Pakistani terrorist named Saifullah. We are on the job and they will be neutralised soon," Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Zone Vijay Kumar said.
He was speaking to reporters after the wreath-laying ceremony for the two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans, who were killed in the attack. "Two militants came on a scooter, most probably from the Pampore side, and opened indiscriminate firing from an AK rifle," the IGP said. He admitted that the Lashkar module had carried out an attack earlier in the Chadoora area of Budgam district as well, in which an assistant sub-inspector of the CRPF was killed.
"We are conducting operations and soon, they will be neutralised," the officer said.
Responding to a question on militants using two-wheelers to carry out attacks, Kumar said it is easy for the ultras to move around on motorbikes on roads where the vehicle movement is heavy.
"We cannot check every vehicle, vehicles are checked based on information mostly. Checking every vehicle will cause traffic jams," he said. The IGP sought to assure people, saying there is no need to panic and "the situation is under control".
On the use of virtual phone numbers by militants, he said this technology is a cause of concern but it has been used for subversive activities for years now. "Virtual numbers have remained challenging since the beginning. It is challenging across the world. We are trying to find technological answers," Kumar said. PTI
16:28 Ajay Devgn's brother dies
Actor Ajay Devgn tweets to say his brother Anil passed away. "I lost my brother Anil Devgan last night. His untimely demise has left our family heartbroken. ADFF & I will miss his presence dearly. Pray for his soul. Due to the pandemic, we will not have a personal prayer meet."
Food courts opened in Mumbai on Monday
16:17 India's Covid cases declining: Health ministry
India's active cases comprise merely 13.75 per cent of the total positive cases of the country standing at 9,19,023 and the country continues to report a trend of steadily declining active cases, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Tuesday.
"The declining trend of the percentage active cases is commensurately supported by rising percentage of recovered cases," it stated.
So far, 56,62,490 people have recovered from the novel coronavirus in the country.
According to the statement, a higher number of recoveries has aided the national recovery rate to further improve to 84.70 per cent. 75,787 have recovered and discharged in the last 24 hours whereas the new confirmed cases stand at 61,267.
The new recoveries have exceeded the new confirmed cases in 25 States and UTs.
"74 per cent of the new recovered cases are observed to be concentrated in 10 States and UTs -- Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Delhi, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal," the ministry said.
Maharashtra alone has contributed the maximum with nearly 13,000 single day recovery.61,267 new confirmed cases were recorded in last 24 hours.
As on date, 75 per cent of the new cases are from 10 States and UTs. Maharashtra continues to be the State reporting a very high number of new cases with more than 10,000 cases followed by Karnataka with more than 7,000 cases.
Also, 884 case fatalities have been reported in the past 24 hours, of these, nearly 80 per cent are concentrated in ten State/UTs of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Chhattisgarh, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh, the ministry stated.More than 29 per cent of new fatalities reported are from Maharashtra (263 deaths). -- ANI
15:51 Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala tests Covid +ve
Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Tuesday said he has tested positive for coronavirus, adding that he was asymptomatic and feeling alright. Chautala, a JJP leader, urged people who had met him during the past week to get themselves tested.
"My COVID-19 test report has returned positive. There are no symptoms of COVID-19 like fever etc, but as the report is positive, I am self-isolating," he said in a message on Twitter.
Earlier, Chief Minister M L Khattar, some ministers, Assembly Speaker Gian Chand Gupta and a few legislators and MPs from the state had also contracted the infection and later recovered. PTI
15:46 Jobs, increments secure: Puri to HDFC Bank staff
HDFC Bank Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Aditya Puri has assured employees of the country's largest private sector lender that their jobs and bonuses are secure. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic rages on, Puri, who retires later this month, said the bank is doing well, has sufficient capital and does not have any strain in the loans that it has made. He also hinted that the bank may post a strong set of quarterly numbers in the recently ended July-September period and quarters ahead as well.
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in job losses, especially in the organised sectors, as businesses suffered due to economic activity coming to a halt in lockdowns. HDFC Bank and its private sector competitors have met hikes and bonuses commitments since the start of the pandemic. "Not only are your jobs secure, your increment is also secure. Your bonus and your promotion are secure," Puri told over 1.15 lakh employees of the bank, in a video message last week.
Puri, who has led the bank for over 25 years since its inception, said he is giving the assurance on behalf of the management team including his successor Sashidhar Jagdishan. "The bank is doing well. We have all the capital that we need. Our portfolio is not under strain. We are aggressively using our distribution and technology advantage," he said. He urged employees to work as a team, follow the vision the lender has set out for itself and beat competition. Puri was speaking ahead of the launch of festive offers by the lender in its second edition. -- PTI
15:46 Three win Nobel Physics for study on black holes
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics with one half to Roger Penrose and the other half jointly to Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez.
Roger Penrose invented ingenious mathematical methods to explore Albert Einsteins general theory of relativity. He showed that the theory leads to the formation of black holes, those monsters in time and space that capture everything that enters them.
Reinhard Genzel and Andrea Ghez discovered that an invisible and extremely heavy object governs the orbits of stars at the centre of our galaxy. A supermassive black hole is the only currently known explanation.
15:34 Release arrested scribe at the earliest, journalists' body tells UP CM
A prominent journalists' union has said the Uttar Pradesh police has arrested a senior scribe, also its office-bearer, while on his way to Hathras to cover the situation there and demanded his release at the earliest. Siddique Kappan was trying to do his duty as a reporter, the Delhi unit of Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) told Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Kappan was its Secretary, a letter signed by KUWJ's Delhi unit President Miji Jose to Adithyanath said. It added that he was on is way to cover the 'situation' at Hathras, where a 19 year-old Dalit woman, assaulted and allegedly gang raped, later died in Delhi, with the incident causing national outrage.
In its letter, KUWJ said Kappan, "a senior Delhi based journalist working for several Malayalam media houses, including azhimukham.com, had gone to Hathras on Monday morning to cover the present situation in the area." On Monday, Uttar Pradesh police had arrested four people, said to have links with alleged radical group Popular Front of India (PFI) and an associate outfit, at Mathura while they were on their way to Hathras from Delhi.
The four were in a car and identified themselves as Atiq-ur Rehman of Muzaffarnagar, Siddique of Malappuram, Masood Ahmed of Bahraich and Alam of Rampur. "We understand that he (Kappan) was taken into police custody by Uttar Pradesh police from Hathras toll plaza. Our efforts and the efforts by some advocates based in Delhi to contact him were not successful," KUWJ said. -- PTI
15:04 New testing method can diagnose COVID-19 in just 30 minutes
Scientists have developed a new method that allows anyone to easily and quickly detect Covid-19 in just 30 minutes, and is as accurate as the current PCR diagnostic test. The SENSR technology developed by researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea diagnosis Covid-19 based on the RNA sequence of the virus, reducing the stress on one single testing location and avoiding contact with infected patients as much as possible.
RNA is a nucleic acid that mediates genetic information or is involved in controlling the expression of genes. The biggest benefit is that a diagnostic kit can be developed within a week even if a new infectious disease appears other than Covid-19, according to the research published in the journal Nature Biomedical Engineering.
The researchers noted that PCR molecular test currently used for Covid-19 diagnosis has very high accuracy but entails a complex preparation process to extract or refine the virus. The test is not suitable for use in small farming or fishing villages, or airport or drive-thru screening clinics as it requires expensive equipment as well as skilled experts, they said.
The researchers designed the test kit to produce nucleic acid binding reaction to show fluorescence only when COVID-19 RNA is present. The virus can be detected immediately without any preparation process with high sensitivity in a short time. And it is as accurate as the current PCR diagnostic method. Using the new technology, they found the SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA, the cause of COVID-19, from an actual patient sample in about 30 minutes.
Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi meet the victim's family in Hathras
15:00 4 with PFI links held on way to Hathras: UP Police
Four people with links to fundamentalist organisation, the Popular Front of India, were apprehended, while they were on way to Hathras, Uttar Pradesh Police said on Monday.
Prashant Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), said that they received credible information about the movement of some suspicious people towards Hathras from Delhi, after which police started a checking drive at Mathura toll plaza, during which they were nabbed.
The four have been identified as Atiq-ur Rehman, a resident of Muzaffarnagar; Siddique of Malappuram; Masood Ahmed of Bahraich; and Alam of Rampur.
Kumar said they came to know about their connection with the PFI and its co-organisation, the Campus Front of India, during interrogation.
"Mobile phones, laptops and suspicious literature (adversely affecting peacekeeping) were recovered from their possession. They were sent to preventive custody at Mathura police station," he said. -- ANI
Sushant Singh Rajput with his sister Shweta Singh Kirti
14:40 Sushant's sisters move HC to quash forgery FIR
Actor Sushant Singh Rajputs sisters Priyanka Singh and Meetu Singh on Tuesday moved the Bombay High Court, seeking to quash the FIR registered against them by Mumbai Police for forgery and procuring fake medical prescription for their late brother. The Bandra police lodged the FIR against the duo on September 7, based on a complaint filed by Rajputs girlfriend and actress Rhea Chakraborty, who is currently in jail in connection with a drugs case related to the actor's death.
A division bench of Justices S S Shinde and M S Karnik took up the plea on Tuesday and then posted it for hearing on October 13, saying there was no urgency.
In her complaint, Chakraborty accused Rajput's sisters and Dr Tarun Kumar of the Delhi-based Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital of forging a prescription of medicines supposedly for anxiety that were prohibited under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985. As per the complaint, the medicines were for Rajput.
The 34-year-old actor was found hanging at his residence in suburban Bandra on June 14 this year. In the petition, Rajput's sisters claimed the FIR was filed based just on media reports and that the complaint was fraught with material irregularities and discrepancies.
14:14 Delhi past peak of 2nd COVID-19 wave: CM Kejriwal
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said the national capital is past the peak of the second wave of coronavirus and the situation has been controlled to a large extent.
Kejriwal said the Delhi government increased the testing exponentially to detect the infection.
"Delhi hit the peak of the second wave of COVID-19 on September 17 when 4,500 cases were reported across the city. The situation has been controlled to a large extent," he said.
"I hope the second wave will slowly pass," Kejriwal said.
Testing in Delhi hit the 60,000 a day mark in September compared to 20,000 tests per day in August. The chief minister also said that 10,000 beds are now unoccupied in hospitals. At one point, 7,200 beds were occupied.
-- PTI
The victim of the gang-rape being cremated in Hathras
13:45 NCW notices to Amit Malviya, Digvijaya, Swara for revealing identity of Hathras victim
The NCW has sought explanation from BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya, Congress leader Digvijay Singh and actress Swara Bhasker for allegedly revealing the identity of Hathras victim on Twitter. The National Commission for Women has also directed them to immediately remove these posts and refrain from sharing such posts in future. "@NCWIndia has served notices to @amitmalviya @digvijaya_28 and @ReallySwara seeking explanation on their #Twitter posts revealing the identity of the #Hathras victim along with a direction to remove these posts immediately & to refrain from sharing such posts in future," the NCW said in a tweet on Tuesday.
In separate notices to Bhasker, Malviya and Singh, the NCW said it has come across several Twitter posts wherein the picture of the victim of the alleged gang rape incident was used.
"In view of the above, you are hereby required to provide a satisfactory explanation to the Commission on receipt of this notice and shall remove and refrain from transmission of such pictures/ videos on the social media as they are widely circulated by your follower which is prohibited by the existing law," the NCW said in the notice.
A Dalit woman was allegedly raped in a Hathras village by four men on September 14. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to Delhi's Safdarjung hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. She was cremated in early hours, with her family alleging the local police forced them to conduct the last rites in the dead of the night.
Rahul Gandhi being helped up after he was pushed and fell to the ground
13:31 India thrashed, so what if I was pushed: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said when the whole country was being thrashed, it was not a big deal that he got pushed a little while en route to meet the Hathras victim's family.
"When the whole country is being pushed, thrashed, what if I got pushed a little, it's not a big deal. It doesn't matter. It is our job to protect the public and farmers. It is such type of government that if you stand up to it you will get pushed, you will be beaten with lathis. We are ready for it," Gandhi said.
"The real push, the unimaginable one, was given to the family (of the Hathras victim). That is why I wanted to meet them. I wanted that family to know that they are not alone. I told them I was there for the lakhs of females who are misbehaved with daily, who are raped," he added further slamming the Prime Minister's silence over the issue and the attitude of the administration in Uttar Pradesh.
Gandhi, along with his sister and Congress general secretary and in-charge of Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, were manhandled and arrested by UP Police when they were marching to meet the family of Hathras gangrape victim, who died while undergoing treatment in a hospital in the national capital.
However, later in the week, both the top Congress leaders had met the victim's family members and extended the party's support to them in their fight for getting justice. -- ANI
13:28 Rhea, brother to stay in jail till Oct 20
Special NDPS Court extends judicial custody of Rhea Chakraborty, Showik Chakraborty and others till 20th October.
13:27 Punjab will affected most by new farm laws: Rahul;
Rahul Gandhi's press conference was also attended by other leaders including, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh and party leaders Randeep Singh Surjewala, Harish Rawat and Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar.
Gandhi further slammed the Modi government for its earlier moves such as the Goods and Services Tax (GST), demonetisation, among others.
"The way in which Modi first did demonetisation, then GST and then during corona crisis did not extend a helping hand to farmers, workers, small businesses at all, similarly these farm laws too are an attack on farmers," he said.
Gandhi had kickstarted the 'Kheti Bachao Yatra' in Punjab on Sunday to protest against the recently enacted agriculture reform laws brought by the Centre. The Wayanad Member of Parliament visited various parts of the state and addressed rallies, apart from taking part in roadshows to protest against the laws. He is further slated to arrive in Haryana and conduct roadshows and attend rallies against the laws.
12:43 China knows PM only cares about his image: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is in Patiala today to protest the farm laws. Addressing the media, Rahul said:
On the three Farm Laws: "The introduction of Farm Bills by the government is a way to destroy the existing structure of food security and it is going to affect the state of Punjab the most. It is an attack on our farmers."
Rahul Gandhi on SAD's question 'what was he doing abroad when farm bills were passed': "My mother had gone for medical check-up & my sister couldn't go with her as few members of her staff had Covid. I was there with my mother, I'm her son also after all and have to look after her.
Hathras: "I wanted victim's family to know that they are not alone, we are there for them...The entire family was targetted by Uttar Pradesh administration, but our PM didn't say a word on the issue."
Unemployment: "Modi govt has destroyed small and medium businesses during the lockdown, which are the backbone of India's economy and gives employment to labourers. I had warned about Covid-19 in February but they said I was joking."
China incursion: "Do you know why China was able to take away a part of our land? It is because China knows that the person who is sitting at the top position, just cares about his image."
Police bandobast during the cremation of the Hathras victim
12:03 UP govt on Hathras: Night cremation necessary
The Uttar Pradesh government has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court over the Hathras incident, saying the court must direct a CBI investigation into the case for free and fair investigation.
The SC should monitor the CBI probe into the case, the affidavit states and adds that a "vicious campaign" has been unleashed to defame the State govt.
It explains in detail the investigation carried out so far in the case and says that vested interests are attempting to ascribe motive to derail a fair probe.
District administration convinced parents of deceased to cremate her at night to avoid large scale violence in the morning, the affidavit to SC, states. It cites intelligence inputs of possible assembly of lakhs of protesters and issue being given caste/communal colour.
DCP Cyber Cell Rashmi Karandikar
11:50 FIRs against social media accounts for trolling Mumbai top cop
Mumbai Police's cyber cell has registered two FIRs against unidentified persons for trolling city police commissioner on social media and using abusive language against him and the security force, an official said on Tuesday. The police have come to know that several fake social media accounts are being used for the purpose, the official said.
"Several social media account holders are trolling Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh on different platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and are using abusive language against him and the force," Deputy Commissioner of Police, cyber cell, Rashmi Karandikar said. Taking serious note of it, the cyber cell has registered two FIRs against such account holders under provisions of the Information Technology Act, she said.
"Most of these accounts are fake and we will be taking action against the account holders," the official said. One of the FIRs was registered on Sunday and another was lodged last month, she said. Some of these account holders used morphed images of the official Twitter handle of the Mumbai police commissioner, she said. The cyber cell is conducting a probe into both the FIRs, the official added. PTI
11:35 Soumitra Chatterjee tests positive for Covid
Veteran Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee tested positive for Covid-19 on Tuesday, health officials said. He has been admitted to a hospital in Kolkata, they said. The octogenarian actor was unwell and he tested positive for the infection on Tuesday morning, a senior health official said. "His samples were tested for COVID-19 on Monday and the reports came today," he added. -- PTI
11:29 Cinemas to reopen from Oct 15 with 50% capacity
After seven months of shut down due to Covid-19, cinema halls will reopen on October 15 with 50 per cent capacity and one-seat distance between the viewers, Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar said Tuesday.
"Cinema halls are shut for last seven months. They are now opening from October 15. For safety of people, we have come out with SOP to be followed," Javadekar said.
"Cinema halls shall be allowed to open with 50 per cent capacity only and people will maintain one-seat distance. Wearing masks at all times will be important," he added. Briefing the press at his residence, the Union minister also said that online booking of tickets will be encouraged but box office will be open for single-screen theatres.
"In single screen theatres, ticket counters will be opened. However, we encourage online booking for contact-less transactions. Proper ventilation has to be ensured and temperature setting of all air conditioning should be above 23 degree Celsius," he said.
The Ministry of Home Affairs had in its unlock guidelines issued on September 30 allowed reopening of cinema halls from October 15.-- PTI
11:28 Modi dials, Yogis rivals delighted
With elections in the politically crucial state not too far away, a perception is gaining ground that the CM's style of functioning is costing the BJP dearly. Read the column here
11:13 Richa Chadha's law suit against Payal Ghosh on 7th
The Bombay High Court has deferred the defamation suit filed by actor Richa Chadha against Payal Ghosh and others till October 7. The court deferred the proceedings as the defendants had not been served notices.
Chadha had filed the defamation suit against Ghosh, Aamoda Broadcasting Company Pvt Ltd, critic Kamaal R Khan, and another respondent named John Doe/Ashok Kumar for allegedly defaming her in the alleged rape case against filmmaker Anurag Kashyap by Ghosh.
Chadha has filed the suit over recording, displaying and sharing an interview by Ghosh in connection with her charges against the well-known filmmaker.
She has alleged that the acts have resulted in "tarninshing her reputation" and "subjected her to immense humiliation, ridicule, unwanted speculation, harassment, harsh public scrutiny and loss of business opportunities and goodwill thereby causing tremendous stress and mental agony.
"She is, therefore, seeking Rs 1.10 crores in damages collectively from the defendants.
Meanwhile, Kashyap has vehemently denied any such incident as alleged by Payal Ghosh and sought severe action against the actress for "misusing" the criminal justice system, his lawyer said on Friday.
Ghosh had last month filed an FIR against Anurag Kashyap accusing him of sexually assaulting her. Kashyap had later appeared before the Versova police station in Mumbai for questioning in the matter. -- ANI
10:58 Coal scam: Court convicts ex-Minister Dilip Ray, others
Former Union minister Dilip Ray was on Tuesday convicted by a special court here in a coal scam case pertaining to irregularities in the allocation of a Jharkhand coal block in 1999. Special Judge Bharat Parashar convicted Ray, former minister of state (coal) in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, for criminal conspiracy and other offences.
The court also convicted two senior officials of the Ministry of Coal at that time, Pradip Kumar Banerjee and Nitya Nand Gautam, Castron Technologies Ltd (CTL), its director Mahendra Kumar Agarwalla and Castron Mining Ltd (CML). The court will hear arguments on the quantum of sentence on October 14. The case pertains to allocation of Brahmadiha coal block in Giridih in Jharkhand to CTL in 1999. -- PTI
10:44 A Trump in recovery keeps Sensex buoyant
Equity benchmark indices traded higher during early hours on Tuesday as Asian stock markets rose to a two-week high after US President Donald Trump was discharged from hospital following treatment for Covid-19. For investors, prospects for a fresh US stimulus package appeared to brighten.
At 10:15 am, the BSE S&P Sensex was up by 352 points or 0.9 per cent at 39,326 while the Nifty 50 gained by 96 points or 0.84 per cent at 11,600.
Sectoral indices at the National Stock Exchange were mixed with Nifty realty moving up by 2.8 per cent, financial service by 1.6 per cent and private bank by 1 per cent.
Among stocks, Tata Motors was the top gainer after moving up by 6.9 per cent to Rs 143.20 per share. Housing loan major HDFC ticked up by 4.8 per cent, HDFC Bank by 1.6 per cent and IndusInd Bank by 1.5 per cent.Realty major DLF advanced by 2.9 per cent and Oberoi Realty gained by 1.2 per cent. The other prominent gainers were Mahindra & Mahindra, Asian Paints, Adani Ports and UPL.
However, IT stocks dipped with Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys losing by over 1 per cent each. -- PTI
10:32
Former union minister Dilip Ray convicted by Delhi court in coal scam case.
10:22 Punjab govt orders closure of all Covid level-1 facilities
The Punjab Health Department on Monday ordered the closure of all Covid level-1 facilities in the state because of a drop in occupancy in these centres. The patients, admitted to the level-1 facilities, will be shifted to the government-run Level-2 centres. According to the Union Health Ministry, there are 13,577 active cases in the state. There are about 8,000 beds at 24 Level-I centres. Civil surgeons in these facilities have been asked to relieve medical and non-medical staff. -- ANI
10:11 India records 61K Covid cases a day; falls by 30K
Some good news. India reports a spike of 61,267 new COVID-19 cases and 884 deaths in the last 24 hours. Total case tally stands at 66,85,083 including 9,19,023 active cases, 56,62,491 cured/discharged/migrated cases and 1,03,569 deaths: Union Health Ministry. The 24-hour tally of Covid cases is down from a high of 90,000 cases a month ago.
09:50 A worthy disciple called Ajay Mohan Bisht
"Twice in two years has Ajay Mohan Bisht, also known as Adityanath, been voted the nation's best chief minister in polls that purport credibility. It may be fair to wonder which sordid corners of hell those pollsters went scouring. Or perhaps they were merely scouring Adityanath's Uttar Pradesh, which answers to multiple descriptions of hell. Such as the one whose grisly layers we might yet want to banish as the fiction of a traumatic nightmare. Unfortunately, we are living it and being cynically denied the ordeal of the dead." Read the column here
09:42 Don't let Covid dominate your life: Trump
US President Donald Trump has asked Americans not to be "afraid" of COVID-19 as he returned to the White House after spending three nights at a military hospital where he was treated for the deadly viral infection. "You are gonna beat it," Trump said on Monday in a video posted on Twitter. "I learned so much about coronavirus. One thing that's for certain, don't let it dominate you. Don't be afraid of it. You're gonna beat it. We have the best medical equipment. We have the best medicines. All developed recently," he said.
Trump, 74, was admitted to the Walter Reed Medical Centre on Friday after he and First Lady Melania Trump, 50, were tested positive for COVID-19. While the president was taken to the military hospital, the First Lady stayed back at the White House.
Trump on Monday was discharged from the hospital after doctors treating him found him fit enough to go back home. The president said he was feeling much better two days ago. "I could have left (Walter Reed) two days ago. Two days ago, I felt great like better than I have in a long time I said just recently, better than 20 years ago. Don't let it (COVID-19) dominate. Don't let it take over your life," he said in the recorded video.
Asserting that US is the greatest country in the world, Trump said, "We are going back to work. We're going to be out front. As your leader I had to do that. I knew there's danger to it. But I had to do it. I stood out front. I lead."
Trump said he knows that there is a risk, there is a danger, "but that's okay". "Now I'm better. And maybe I'm immune? I don't know. But, don't let it dominate your lives. Get out there. Be careful. We have the best medicines in the world. And they're all happened very shortly. They are all getting approved. The vaccines are coming momentarily," he said.
09:33 Mumbai local train services disrupted as overhead wire snaps
Local train services of the Western Railway were disrupted in Mumbai on Tuesday morning after an overhead wire snapped at Nallasopara station, located about 55 km from the city, officials said. Restoration work is currently underway, a Government Railway Police official said.
Suburban services on the Churchgate-bound fast corridor stopped after the overhead wire, from which power is drawn to run the train, snapped around 6.30 am at Nallasopara station in neighbouring Palghar district, he said.
A Mumbai-bound long distance train was also held up at Nallasopara, railway sources said. The incident is likely to delay local trains for next few peak morning hours, affecting commuters.
The Western Railway runs local trains from Churchgate in south Mumbai to Palghar's Dahanu station, located about 120 km from here. -- PTI
09:17 Pompeo to meet Jaishankar in Tokyo
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will meet External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Tokyo on Tuesday, the State Department said.
Pompeo and Jaishankar are in Tokyo to attend the second QUAD ministerial involving their counterparts from Australia and Japan.
While Pompeo and Jaishankar talk over the phone at frequent intervals, this is their first meeting after the recent border incursions by China in India.
According to the State Department, Pompeo is scheduled to meet new Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi.
In an interaction with reporters travelling with him, Pompeo hoped to have significant announcements and significant achievements during the QUAD ministerial.
-- PTI
09:00 NDA may announce seat-sharing arrangement today
After hectic parleys, the ruling National Democratic Alliance is expected to officially announce a seat-sharing formula for the Bihar Assembly election reached between the two key constituent parties Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal-United.
Senior BJP leaders, including Bihar BJP election in-charge Devendra Fadnavis, general secretary and BJP Bihar in-charge Bhupendra Yadav, state president Sanjay Jaiswal and Sushil Modi returned to Patna on Monday evening after days of hectic deliberations with the BJP high command.
Though the last date of filing nomination for the first phase of Bihar Assembly election is November 8, the NDA has still not come out with its seat-sharing agreement, which has triggered speculations whether all is well among the alliance partners.
According to sources, the BJP and Janata Dal-United have agreed to fight an equal number of seats in the upcoming elections under 50:50 formula.
While JDU will be contesting elections on 122 seats, the BJP on 121, sources have said. Jitan Ram Manjhi, who is part of the NDA, has been given seven tickets from Janata Dal-United quota.
08:21 SC to hear PIL seeking CBI probe in Hathras case
The Supreme Court will be taking up a PIL that is seeking CBI probe into the Hathras alleged gangrape case.
The plea will be heard by a Supreme Court bench led by CJI SA Bobde.
The rape-accused will be defended by Supreme Court lawyer AP Singh, who defended the convicts in the Nirbhaya rape case.
The plea has sought probe under the supervision of a retired Supreme Court or High Court judge, besides changing the place of trial from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi.
07:53 Trump returns to White House after hospital stay
US President Donald Trump returned to the White House on Monday night after spending four days at a military hospital where he was treated for coronavirus.
Trump, 77, looked healthy.
Showing his fitness, Trump in an unusual decision climbed up the South Portico stairs, instead of the elevators, to go to his residence. He waived at reporters.
The US president, after taking off his mask, stood up in the portico facing South Lawns for a few minutes and saluted Marine One.
In a mass email to his supporters after his arrival at the White House, Trump asked them not to be afraid of COVID-19.
"I'm telling you: Don't be afraid of COVID. Don't let it dominate your life! This is the greatest country in the world and under the Trump Administration, we have developed some really great drugs and knowledge. WE WILL BEAT THIS, TOGETHER!" he said.
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