LIVE! VDG opens fire after suspicious movement in Rajouri

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Fri, 13 January 2023

VDG opens fire after suspicious movement in Rajouri

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23:57 Modi greets people on occasion of Lohri

Prime Minister Narendra Modi greeted the people on the occasion of Lohri on Friday.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, "Have a wonderful Lohri! May this festival deepen the spirit of harmony in our society. May there be happiness all around."

The Punjabi festival of Lohri falls in the chilly month of January. It is celebrated in many Indian states.

The people of Mathura celebrated this occasion with full pomp and show.

People gathered with their family and friends for the Lohri festivities organized by the local association.

They were seen singing, dancing and enjoying games.

Talking to ANI, one of the people celebrating the festival at the event said, "Lohri is being celebrated with much favour in Mela ground in Mathura. We all are enjoying this festival with bhangra and giddha. Here mimicry and other artists are also performing."

"After a gap of two years, the festival is being celebrated with such grandeur," said another person.

Lohri, the harvest festival celebrated on January 13 every year, marks the end of winter and the time to harvest rabi crops. -- ANI

23:25 Sabarimala revenue at Rs 310.40 cr till Jan 12

The Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the famed Sabarimala temple in this hilly district, on Friday said Rs 310.40 crore was generated by the shrine till January 12, as part of the 2-month-long annual pilgrimage season.

Addressing reporters at the Sannidhanam guesthouse, TDB president K Ananthagopan said the Thiruvabharana ghoshayathra, a procession carrying sacred jewellery to the hilltop shrine, began on Thursday and reach Sharamkuthi on January 14.

The 'mandala pooja' was held on December 27, marking the culmination of the first leg of the season.

The shrine was closed for 3 days and re-opened on December 30 for the 'makaravilakku' ceremonies, the second leg of the season.

"Out of the Rs 310,40,97,309, a total of Rs 231,55,32,006 was received during the 'mandalam' season which ended on December 27 and Rs 78,85,65,303 was generated during the ongoing makaravilakku festival which began on December 30," he said.

The makaravilakku ritual would be held on January 14.

Then, the shrine would be closed on January 20, marking the end of the pilgrimage season. -- PTI

Representational image

22:53 VDG opens fire after suspicious movement in Rajouri

A village defence guard opened fire after allegedly noticing a suspicious movement in a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district Thursday night, sources said.

Village defence guards have been activated and given weapons in the Jammu region, especially in border district of Rajouri, after twin terror attacks in Dhangri village that left seven people dead.

A VDG, Yashpal, fired a few rounds in the air from his gun after two suspicious persons came to his house in Androla village at around 8.30 pm, the sources said.

The suspects escaped taking the advantage of darkness, they added. -- PTI

The Communist Party of India-Maoists on Friday triggered three improvised explosive device blasts in Jharkhand's West Singbhum district when security forces were carrying out search operations but nobody was injured in the explosions, a senior police officer said.

Superintendent of police Ashutosh Shekhar said the security forces were carrying out search operations in Tumbahaka forest when the IEDs exploded.

However, all the personnel of law enforcing agencies were safe and no injury was reported in the incident, the SP said.

The search operation was going on in the forest, he added.

Earlier on Thursday three jawans of the CRPF's elite Cobra battalion were injured in a landmine blast and on Wednesday six security personnel were injured in a blast triggered by Maoists in the district. -- PTI

Six Bangladeshi nationals were apprehended from a Kolkata-bound train in Alipurduar in northern West Bengal for allegedly entering India illegally, the railways said in a statement on Friday.

They were travelling from Agartala in Tripura to Kolkata's Sealdah station when they were apprehended, it said.

During a check by the RPF on board the Agartala-Sealdah Kanchanjungha Express at Alipurduar Junction station on Wednesday, the security personnel found six persons, including four females, of "doubtful nationality", it said.

"They could not produce any valid documents and later confessed that they entered India illegally from Bangladesh," the statement said.

Fake Indian Aadhaar cards, mobile phones and two e-tickets of the train from Agartala to Sealdah were found with them, it said.

Legal action has been initiated against them, the Northeast Frontier Railway said in the statement. -- PTI

Eight live bombs were recovered from a fruit seller in Bihar's Hajipur, the police said on Friday.

Officials said that the recovery of bombs was made during a raid at a house in Choudhary Mubarak Mohalla, about 200 meters from a police station.

The accused fruit seller has been identified as Mohammad Masoom.

He was found to have kept the bombs in a fish container at his residence, they said.

The accused told the police in his defence that he found the packet containing the bombs lying on the ground close to a mosque in the area.

And he brought the packet home without having to know about what was inside it.

Sub-divisional police officer, Om Prakash claimed, "The bomb was kept in a fish container whereas the accused is a fruit vendor. The police received input and acted on it. Further investigations are underway."

"The accused lives as a tenant and the owner of the house, Khurshid himself is a fruit vendor and was accused of inciting riots in 2018 in Masjid Chowk during a procession of Muharram," officials pointed out.

The riot resulted in the death of a man in the firing.

Currently, Khurshid is out on bail, officials said. -- ANI

The National Investigation Agency on Friday filed a supplementary charge sheet against an accused involved in terror activities of the banned Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh, an official said.

The charge sheet was filed in a special court in Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh against Ali Asgar alias Abdullah Bihari, a resident of Bihar, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, a spokesperson of the NIA said.

So far, 10 active cadres of the proscribed terrorist organisation, including six illegal immigrants of Bangladesh, have been arrested in connection with the case which was initially registered on March 14 last year at the STF police station in Bhopal.

The case was taken over by the NIA on April 5.

The agency had filed a charge sheet against six accused on September 7 last year.

"Investigations have established that Asgar had been deeply influenced by the ideology of various proscribed terrorist organisations such as JMB and Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent with an intention to further their activities in India," said the spokesperson.

"He entered into a criminal conspiracy with his associates to influence, radicalise and motivate Indian Muslims to prepare for violent jihad against the Indian State. In pursuance of the criminal conspiracy, Asgar translated jihadi literature from Urdu and Arabic to Hindi and uploaded it on social media groups for its circulation amongst impressionable Muslims," the spokesperson said.

More than 220 trees will be transplanted for the construction of a multistorey building which will house members of Parliament in Lutyens' Delhi, according to the minutes of the latest meeting of an environment panel of the Delhi government.

The building, which will have 184 flats, will come up at Sector 24, Baba Kharak Singh Marg near Gole Market in central Delhi, at a cost of Rs 428.8 crore, the MoM said.

There are 372 trees at the site.

The project proponent, Central Public Works Department, had submitted a proposal involving transplantation of 247 trees and retaining the rest.

On the suggestion of the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority, the user agency reduced the number of the affected trees to 222.

The SEIAA also asked the CPWD to maintain/plant the maximum number of trees at the project site.

The user agency has committed to transplanting the trees to a nearby site which also has MP quarters. -- PTI

The Central Bureau of Investigation has got the Centre's sanction to prosecute former railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav in connection with the land-for-jobs scam, officials said on Friday.

The agency submitted the sanction before a special court on Friday, they said. Sanction to prosecute from the competent authority is a prerequisite for the special court to take cognizance of the charge sheet filed by the agency, they said.

The CBI had filed on October 7 last year a charge sheet against Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi and 14 others in connection with alleged appointments made in the Railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold to his family but the cognisance was pending.

In its charge sheet filed before a special CBI court in New Delhi, the agency has also named Prasad's daughter Misa Bharti, former general manager of Central Railways Sowmya Raghvan, former CPO Railways Kamal Deep Mainrai, seven aspirants appointed as substitutes and four private individuals.

"During the investigation, it has been found that the accused in conspiracy with the then GM, Central Railways, and CPO, Central Railways, engaged persons as substitutes in lieu of land either in their name or in the name of their close relatives," a CBI spokesperson had said in a statement. -- PTI

Tata group-owned Air India on Friday said it will be cancelling some domestic flights and rescheduling certain international flights due to airspace restrictions in the national capital this month.

In view of the Republic Day preparations by the Indian Air Force, the airspace will be restricted for nearly three hours every day for one week in the run-up to the 74th Republic Day, according to the airline.

The Notice to Airmen has been issued for January 19-24 and 26 for the morning hours.

"As far as international operations are concerned, Air India will be realigning the same with either a one-hour delay or advancement. Due to this, ultra-long haul, long-haul and short-haul international operations from five stations, namely LHR (London), IAD (Dulles), EWR (Newark), KTM (Kathmandu) and BKK (Bangkok) will be impacted due to the advancement or delay by one hour," an Air India statement said.

"There are no cancellations of international operations during this period," the statement said.

Generally, a NOTAM is a notice with information that is essential to personnel involved in flight operations. -- PTI

19:16 LG's decisions 'illegal': Kejriwal after meet

Several of V K Saxena's orders are illegal in light of the 2018 Supreme Court's decisions, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Friday after his meeting with the lieutenant governor, even as he asked him to keep politics aside from governance matters.

Addressing a press conference, Kejriwal said that he had carried copies of the Constitution, the GNCTD Act, and Motor Vehicles Act, with him to his meeting with Saxena.

"Delhi LG has been interfering in the government's work that is causing inconvenience to people of Delhi. My intention was to sort out the issues, which is why I carried copies of the Constitution, Motor Vehicles Act, School Education Act, Supreme Court judgement," he said.

Kejriwal said that there are two kinds of subjects in Delhi -- 'reserved subjects' that include police, land, and public order on which LG can only take decisions, and 'transferred subjects'.

"All the other subjects come under the Delhi government. On July 4, the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had passed a judgement that said the LG has not been entrusted with any independent decision making power in terms of transferred subjects," he said.

He also said, "There is no independent authority vested in LG to take decisions. In some matters, he can act as a judicial authority."

Kejriwal said that this means that various orders passed by LG, including ones on sealing of Delhi Dialogue and Development Commission Vice Chairman Jasmine Shah's office and issuing of notice demanding Rs 164 crore in recovery for ad expenses, are 'illegal and unconstitutional'.

"However, he said that he has been referred to as the 'Administrator' and enjoys supreme authority," Kejriwal said.

The chief minister also alleged that several departments stopped payments to the Delhi government three months ahead of the MCD polls.

"Officials said that they had been unofficially told to do so. This was done to hurt the AAP in the polls," he alleged.

Kejriwal urged Saxena to keep politics aside and said that he wants to work with LG. -- PTI

18:28 NIA to probe Rajouri terror attacks: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the probe into the recent terror attacks in Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Addressing a press conference after a day-long visit here, Shah said all terror incidents in Jammu in the past one-and-a-half years will also be probed by the NIA and the Jammu and Kashmir Police will actively assist in the investigation.

"We have yesterday handed over the probe into the Rajouri incident to the NIA," he said.

The twin terrorist attacks on January 1 and 2 in Rajouri had claimed seven lives while 14 people were injured.

Shah also had a security review meeting with security agencies and top officials of Jammu and Kashmir.

"We have discussed how to further strengthen the security grid. The security agencies conveyed to me that they are 100 per cent prepared to deal with any situation and stop such incident in future," he said.

The home minister said the meeting, also attended by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, had a 360-degree view of the prevailing situation and threadbare discussion on the terror support system.

A time-bound action plan has been drawn up, which envisages tightening of security grid across all areas of Jammu division, within three months, he said.

Shah said the security agencies have assured him that there will be foolproof security in the Union territory.

He said he had come to the Jammu region with the objective of visiting the affected families of the terror attacks in Rajouri but could not go there due to bad weather.

"However, I have spoken to the family members of each of the seven victims by over phone. The families said that they are ready to fight back the terrorists. It is really heartening to hear such things from the them," he said. -- PTI

Actor Nora Fatehi on Friday recorded her statement before a Delhi court as a witness in the Rs 200 crore extortion case.

The actor recorded her statement before Metropolitan Magistrate Akriti Mahendru in the case, also involving alleged fraudster Sukesh Chandrashekhar and actor Jacqueline Fernandez, being investigated by the Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police.

Fatehi had earlier also appeared before the EOW. -- PTI

17:28 Shraddha Walkar's father meets Maharashtra CM

Shraddha's father Vikas Walkar met Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde at his residence Varsha bungalow in Mumbai today.

Delhi's Saket Court on Tuesday extended for 14 days the judicial custody of Aaftab Poonawala, the accused in the Shraddha Walkar murder case.

Saying Poonawala has requested for some law books to study, the court has also directed the authorities to provide him with warm clothes.

Aaftab Poonawala allegedly killed his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar by strangling her. He then chopped her body into 35 pieces, which he stacked in a refrigerator. The two met on a dating app and moved into rented accommodation in Chhatarpur. After strangling Walkar and chopping her body, Poonawala stored her dismembered body in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks before dumping them.

16:24 Chevron, Exxon keen to invest in India: Govt

India will likely see an investment of USD 58 billion in finding and producing oil and gas resources in 2023, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Friday, adding global energy majors Chevron Corp, ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies are keen to invest.

India, the world's third biggest oil-consuming and importing nation, is looking to raise domestic output to help cut down reliance on costly imports.

India imports 85 per cent of its crude oil, which is converted into petrol and diesel, and roughly half of its natural gas that is converted to CNG and used in industries. Speaking at the Voice of Global South Summit, Puri said the government has targeting to increase the geographical area under exploration and production to 0.5 million square kilometres or 15 per cent by 2025 from the current 0.25 million sq km.

"We are expecting an investment of around USD 58 bn in exploration and production (of oil and gas) by 2023," he said. "Several multinational corporations like Chevron, ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies are showing keen interest to invest in Indian E&P sector." -- PTI

16:16 Union Budget on Feb 1

Parliament's Budget Session will begin from January 31 with President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The Session will have 27 sittings and will continue till April 6 with a month-long recess to examine the budget papers, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Union Budget on February 1. The first part of the Budget Session will conclude on February 14, he said. -- PTI

16:15 India logs 174 Covid cases in a day

India's tally of COVID-19 cases rose by 174 in a day while the active caseload declined to 2,257, according to Union Health Ministry data updated on Friday.

The total number of Covid cases recorded in India so far was 4.46 while the death toll was 5,30,725 with two more fatalities -- one reconciled by Kerala and one reported by Maharashtra in a day, data updated at 8 am showed.

Update: In a surprise U-turn, Shankar Mishra, the man accused of urinating on an elderly woman co-passenger on an Air India flight, told a Delhi court on Friday he did not commit the offensive act.

The claim by his lawyer, made for the first time since the sordid event unfolded on an Air India New York-New Delhi flight on November 26 last year, flies in the face of denunciation of the accused by some of the co-passengers and even a string of WhatsApp exchanges he had with the victim woman which suggested the unsavoury incident indeed took place.

"I'm not the accused. There must be someone else. She herself urinated. She was suffering from some disease related to prostate. It was not him. The seating system was such that no one could go to her seat.

"Her seat could only be approached from behind, and in any case the the urine could not reach to seat's front area. Also, the passenger sitting behind the complainant did not make any such complain," the defence advocate told court. The judge was hearing Delhi police's plea seeking custodial interrogation of the accused. PTI

"I did not urinate on complainant," Shankar Mishra tells Delhi Court. The woman urinated on her own seat, the accused tells the court.

In an earlier statement to the court, Shankar Mishra, the man accused of urinating on an elderly woman co-passenger on an Air India flight, told the Delhi court on Wednesday that his act was not driven by sexual desire nor aimed at outraging the complainant's modesty, as he sought bail in the case.

Kanjhawala case: Delhi Police suspends 11 personnel on duty in PCR vans, at pickets in Rohini district at time of incident, say officials.

The case pertains to the gruesome January 1 incident in which 20-year-old Anjali Singh, who was riding a scooter, was found dead on the street after being allegedly hit and dragged for several kilometres by a car driven by five youths in Outer Delhi's Khanjawala area.

On Thursday, taking cognizance of a detailed Delhi Police report on the case, the Ministry of Home Affairs recommended suspending police personnel deployed in three PCR vans and at two police pickets, said officials. These police personnel were on duty at the time of the incident.

14:33 Why Amit Shah will visit Andamans on Jan 23

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will arrive in Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's birth anniversary on January 23, an official said on Friday.

Netaji hoisted the national flag at Gymkhana Ground here on December 30, 1943, and Shah will do it at the same spot on January 23, the official said. The ground is now renamed as Netaji Stadium'.

The Union home minister is also likely to visit Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island, the nearest Island from Port Blair, which can be reached through a 15-20-minute boat ride from Aberdeen Jetty.

On December 30, 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi rechristened Ross Island as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Island. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands was under Japanese occupation and it was formally handed over to Netaji's Azad Hind government on December 29, 1943.

He will also take stock of various developmental initiatives in the islands connected to eco-tourism and issues related to national security, the official said. Shah is also likely to visit the Cellular Jail and meet local BJP leaders. The Union home minister last came to Port Blair in 2021. PTI

Citing archaic "anti-conversion" laws, right-wing Hindu groups are working to prevent marriages between Indian Hindus and Muslims. Some couples have faced violence and death threats. Read the column here.

13:46 Ro Khanna says hes looking at the Senate

The California Democrat has been paying consultants and firms with ties to New Hampshire, Nevada and Iowa. Read the report here.

13:35 HM reaches Rajouri to meet families of victims

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Jammu on Friday to meet the families of those killed in the terror attack in Rajouri.

Shah was received at Jammu Airport by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha this noon. Shah will visit the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir to review the ground situation with the security forces, said sources.

The Home Minister's visit comes in the wake of twin terror attacks in Rajouri which left seven people dead.

According to the sources, Shah will visit the place where the terrorist attack happened and meet the family members of the civilians killed in these incidents.

He will also meet officials of the Jammu and Kashmir administration and security forces.

Notably, six civilians including two children were killed and many more injured in two terror attacks in Upper Dangri village in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on January 1 and 2.

While four people were gunned down on January 1 evening, two children were killed and several others injured after a suspected Improvised Explosive Device (IED) blast occurred in the same vicinity in Rajouri's Upper Dhangri village on January 2 morning.

Reaching Rajouri, Shah will then go to Dhangri to inspect the site of the terror attacks and interact with the families of the victims. -- ANI

12:42 Budget session of Parl from Jan 31 to April 6

Budget Session, 2023 of Parliament will commence from 31 January and continue till 6 April with 27 sittings spread over 66 days with a recess. The recess will be from 14 February till 12 March, tweets Union Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi.

A Delhi govt primary school

12:16 BJP stopping teachers from training in Finland: AAP

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday alleged that the BJP was resorting to "dirty politics" to stop the AAP government's efforts to send school teachers to Finland for training.

At a press conference in Delhi, he said so far around 1,100 teachers have undergone training abroad, including Singapore, the UK and Finland. Now, that the people of the BJP have an "unauthorised hold" over the services department, they are "doing dirty politics" to stop the AAP government in Delhi from giving the best training to teachers, Sisodia alleged.

He said that if Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena cares for the future of children and doesn't want their education to be impacted, then he "should not side with the BJP in their conspiracy".

There was no immediate reaction from the BJP or the LG Secretariat over Sisodia's charges.

"We wanted to send a batch of 30 teachers to Finland for training. The LG delayed it on one pretext or another," Sisodia claimed.

The Delhi deputy chief minister alleged the BJP was trying to "use all its might" to stop the Delhi government's efforts to send school teachers to Finland for training.

"We sent teachers to Finland as it is one of the best places that has carried out education reforms. We want to expose our teachers to such international standards, as it is the teachers who contribute to raising the standard of education," Sisodia told reporters.

He said, "The BJP doesn't know it because they have nothing to do with education." Sisodia said the file regarding sending teachers to Finland for training will be again sent to the LG.

"We had sent the file on Finland visit of teachers to LG, and he has asked for a cost-benefit analysis if such a programme can be done in India," he claimed, adding, "The prime minister and chief ministers of BJP-ruled states will go to World Economic Forum. Will that also be stopped on the pretext of cost-benefit analysis?" PTI

Sukesh Chandrashekhar, the prime accused in a Rs 200-crore money laundering case has written to Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena about "mental harassment and threats" by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Delhi minister Satyender Jain.

Chandrashekhar has alleged that the AAP leader was harassing him to withdraw complaints filed against him and others associated with them.

In his letter to the LG, Chandrashekhar alleged said, "I have been severely threatened and harassed by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Satyender Jain, through the Jail Administration and their loyal jail staff. One month back when I was lodged in jail-14, Mandoli, Satyender Jain, deputed his confidant staff such as Rajender, Superintendent and Jay Singh Deputy Superintendent to threaten me and to again start extorting me but I was very firm that I would not succumb to their threats and pressure."

Chandrashekhar alleged that last week Jain had given him "a final opportunity" to accept their demands and to hand over all evidence against them in my possession to him. He said that the message was given by him through Jail-14 Superintendent Rajkumar on December 31.

He alleged that Jain had offered him a seat in the Karnataka assembly elections and sand mining contracts in Punjab, in exchange for withdrawing all statements given to the high-powered committee and media and asked him to hand over all the chats, screenshots and voice recordings against them.

"He (Jain) further warned that if I do not agree then, he will make sure I will be transferred from one jail to another in Mandoli and will be tortured and harassed in a way that I, myself would be driven to a stage of committing suicide or will face the same fate like Sushant Singh Rajput, and the case will be closed and further he gave me 48 hours' time to decide, or else prepare to face the music," Chandrashekhar alleged in his letter made available through his advocate Anant Malik.

Chandrashekhar had on January 7 alleged that was transferred to jail-13 from jail-14 for no reason. "This jail-13 is a jail where heinous hardcore criminals and gangsters are lodged, comparatively to jail-14 where I was previously lodged. The strength of jail-14 was 250 and the strength of jail-13 is 1600," he said. -- ANI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a meeting with economists at NITI Aayog on Friday, sources said.

As per information, Prime Minister in the meeting will seek the opinions and suggestions of the economists and will also assess the state of the Indian economy and its challenges, ahead of the Union Budget.

The Budget Session of Parliament is likely to begin on January 31 and is expected to conclude on April 6 with a recess in between, government sources had said on January 2.

The session will start with an address by President Droupadi Murmu to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in the Central Hall of Parliament.

This will be the first address to the two Houses of Parliament by President Murmu since her elevation to the top post in July last year.

On the first day of the budget session, the Economic Survey will also be tabled in both Houses, the sources said. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to present the Union Budget in Parliament on February 1 and the first part of the session is expected to continue till February 10, the sources said. -- ANI

Update: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday inaugurated the Tent City in Varanasi and also laid foundation stones for several inland waterways projects worth more than Rs 1,000 crore.

The Tent City, developed on the banks of the Ganga opposite the famed ghats of the holy city, aims to tap the tourism potential of the region.

Developed by the Varanasi Development Authority in public-private partnership mode, the Tent City will provide accommodation facilities to tourists along with live classical music and yoga sessions among others. Tourists can reach Tent City by boats from different ghats of Varanasi.

It will be operational from October to June and will be dismantled for three months due to the rise in river water level in the rainy season.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, his Assam counterpart Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, and Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Tejashwi Yadav also addressed the event. -- PTI

PM Narendra Modi inaugurates the 'Tent City' built on the banks of river Ganga in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He will also flag off the world's longest river cruise MV Ganga Vilas between Varanasi and Dibrugarh today.

Union Min S Sonowal, UP CM Adityanath are present at the launch event. Bihar Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav and Assam CM HB Sarma join the event virtually.

"In the last three days, tourists of the river cruise MV Ganga Vilas visited Varanasi and nearby places and experienced the culture. PM will inaugurate 5 new jetties in the state today. Kashi is moving ahead with a new identity today," UP CM Yogi Adityanath said.

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "I would like to thank PM Narendra Modi because the river cruise which is starting today is connecting Kashi to Assam as well. Passengers who will come on this cruise will get the opportunity to visit Maa Kamakhya Temple, Kaziranga National Park and other places."

10:51 Gently down the river

A peek into one of the cabin's on MV Ganga Vilas. The world's longest river cruise between Varanasi-Dibrugarh will be flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the world's longest river Cruise, MV Ganga Vilas, in Varanasi via video link on Friday and inaugurate and lay foundation stones for several other projects here.

An official of Port, Shipping and Waterways told ANI that World's longest River Cruise MV Ganga Vilas is the first-ever cruise vessel to be made in India.

MV Ganga Vilas will begin its journey from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and travel 3,200 km, in 51 days, to reach Dibrugarh in Assam via Bangladesh.

MV Ganga Vilas is the first cruise vessel to be made in India. It will travel 3,200 km in 51 days.

Union Minister for Port Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal told ANI that on its maiden voyage, MV Ganga Vilas will carry 32 tourists from Switzerland across 27 river systems and will cruise through various prominent destinations located along the river banks in Varanasi, Patna, Kolkata, Bangladesh, Guwahati and Sibsagar/Dibrugarh

It will cost RS 25,000 to Rs 50,000 a day, with the total cost for the 51-day journey totalling to around ₹ 20 lakh for each passenger.

"The journey will give the foreign tourists an opportunity to embark upon an experiential voyage and indulge in the art, culture, history, and spirituality of India and Bangladesh," Sonowal said.

Built to cherish Indian and international design, the modernist ship is 62 meters in length and 12 meters wide and requires a draft of 1.4 meters. With 18 suites and all associated amenities, the vessel has a total carrying capacity of 36 passengers.

The Delhi Police said that the action against the negligent police personnel in the Kanjhawala death case would be initiated on Friday.

On Thursday, taking cognizance of a detailed Delhi Police report on the case, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recommended suspending police personnel deployed in three PCR vans and at two police pickets, said officials.

These police personnel were on duty at the time of the incident. Besides, the MHA recommended that Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora take disciplinary action against these police personnel deployed in the three Police Control Room (PCR) patrolling vans of Delhi Police and at the two police pickets.

The MHA also suggested that the Delhi Police Commissioner issue a show cause notice against the supervisory officers considering dereliction of investigation in the case, the officials privy to the investigation told ANI.

The ministry also suggested the Delhi Police file a chargesheet against the culprits in the court at the earliest and take all necessary steps so that they should be punished. -- ANI

The bus was on its way to Shirdi

10:08 10 dead in bus-truck collision in Nashik

At least 10 persons were killed and several injured after a speeding bus collided with a truck in Maharashtra's Nashik district on Friday morning, police officials said.

The private luxury bus which had started from Ambernath in Thane district was heading for the temple town of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, they said.

The incident took place around 7 am near Pathare Shivar in Nashik's Sinnar tehsil, around 180 km from Mumbai, officials said.

As per preliminary reports, the deceased included seven women, two small boys and a man.

The injured were taken to the Sinnar Rural Hospital and Yashwant Hospital in Sinnar. The death toll may increase as the condition of some of the injured was said to be critical, officials said. PTI

Representational image

09:48 Dalit singed with burning stick for entering temple

A Dalit man has been allegedly assaulted by a group of people and singed with burning sticks when he entered a temple to offer prayers at Salra village in the Mori area of Uttarkashi district, police have said.

The incident took place on January 9 when 22-year-old Ayush, a resident of Bainol village, visited the temple, they said.

According to the victim's complaint to the police, some people belonging to the upper caste assaulted him at the temple, tied him up and singed him with burning sticks throughout the night.

Ayush was rushed to the primary health centre on January 10 from where he was referred to another health facility for better treatment, officials said.

In his complaint, Ayush said the attackers were angry as he entered the temple despite being a Dalit.

Based on the complaint, a case has been registered under the SC/ST Act against five villagers, Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi said, adding Circle Officer (Operation) Prashant Kumar has been assigned the job of investigating the matter. PTI

Rahul Gandhi pays his last respects to Sharad Yadav

09:33 Sharad Yadav was brought unresponsive: Hospital

After the demise of former Union Minister Sharad Yadav at Fortis Memorial Research Institute in Gurugram, the hospital released a statement saying that he was brought to the hospital in an unconscious and unresponsive state.

"Sharad Yadav was brought to the emergency at Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram in an unconscious and unresponsive state. On examination, he did not have any pulse or recordable blood pressure," Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram said, releasing a statement.

"He underwent Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) as per Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) protocols. Despite best efforts, he could not be revived and was declared dead at 10.19 pm. We would like to convey our deepest condolences to his family," it added.

Sharad Yadav passed away on Thursday, informed his daughter Subhashini Sharad Yadav through a social media post.

Raj Kamal Rao, Son in Law of Sharad Yadav told ANI that he was rushed to the hospital following cardiac arrest.

"He had a cardiac arrest, we took him to the hospital. After reaching there, doctors declared him dead. He had kidney issues and was on dialysis. His body will be taken to his native village in Madhya Pradesh where last rights will be performed," Rao said. -- ANI

09:17 Himachal rests in blanket of snow

The Narkanda area of Shimla district continues to receive snowfall. The hill state of Himachal Pradesh has received fresh snowfall during the past 24 hours, and the higher mountain regions have received moderate snowfall and rainfall, said India Meteorological Department (IMD) officials on Thursday.

The IMD forecasted snowfall in higher reaches of Himachal Pradesh during the next two days.

The IMD has forecasted moderate snowfall during the next two days in the Kinnaur, Chamba, Lahaul -Spiti, Shimla and Kullu districts of the state. As per IMD after January 14, the weather is expected to remain dry, while a coldwave alert in the lower districts of Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Una and Mandi has been sounded in the region.

Ahead of Makar Sankranti, a festival associated with flying of kites, the Mumbai police has banned the use, sale and storage of 'manja' or nylon kite strings sometimes coated with powdered glass on account of the danger they pose to humans as well as birds.

The order will be in effect from January 12 to February 10 and violators will be charged under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (disobeying lawful order of public servant), an official said on Thursday.

The use of non-biodegradable synthetic thread as kite string causes accidents, injuries to wildlife, sometimes even loss of life and damage to the environment, the order said.

It is desirable to protect birds which are getting extinct day by day and classified as rare and endangered species, it added. PTI

09:05 Learnt about politics from Sharad Yadav: Rahul

Congress MP Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to former Union minister Sharad Yadav, who passed away last night. "I have learnt a lot about politics from Sharad Yadavji. His passing away today has left me saddened. He shared a relationship of respect with my 'dadi'," Rahul said.

Yadav died on Thursday at a private hospital in Gurugram, family sources said. He was 75. He is survived by his wife, a daughter and a son.

The veteran socialist leader had been suffering from kidney-related issues for a long time and regularly underwent dialysis.

Indian-Americans who constitute about one per cent of the United States population pay about six per cent of the taxes, a Congressman told his Congressional colleagues on Thursday noting that this ethnic community does not cause problems and follows the laws.

In his maiden speech on the House floor, Rich McCormick, 54, said that one of the five doctors in his community is from India and described Indian-Americans as great patriots, upstanding citizens and good friends.

"Although they make up about one per cent of American society, they pay about six per cent of the taxes. They're amongst the top producers, and they do not cause problems. They follow the laws," McCormick said in a short speech on the floor of the US House of Representatives.

A physician by profession, Republican McCormick represents the 6th Congressional District of Georgia, which mainly constitutes the northern suburbs of Atlanta. He defeated Bob Christian of the Democratic Party in the November 8, 2022 midterm elections.

"They (Indian-Americans) don't have the problems that we see other people have when they come to the emergency room for overdoses and depression anxiety because they're the most productive or family oriented and the best of what represents American citizens," McCormick said.

Georgia has a significant number of Indian-Americans. "I rise to this occasion to appreciate my constituents, especially those who have immigrated from India. We have a very large portion of my community that's made up of almost 100,000 people who have immigrated directly from India," he said.

"One out of every five doctors in my community are from India. They represent some of the best citizens we have in America, we should make sure that we streamline the immigration process for those who come here to obey the law and pay their taxes and be the most creative and productive in society," McCormick said.

"God bless my Indian constituents and I look forward to meeting with the (Indian) Ambassador," McCormick said in his brief remarks.

Elvis Presley's only child and singer Lisa Marie Presley passed away aged 54 on Thursday.

"Priscilla Presley and the Presley family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Lisa Marie," reads a family statement quoted in a report by Variety.

"They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time."

According to Variety, a US-based news outlet, Presley was taken to the hospital early on Thursday morning after going into cardiac arrest at her Calabasas, California, home, only two days after she and her mother Priscilla Presley attended the Golden Globes.

Paramedics gave her CPR, then they took her to the hospital.

Prior to the arrival of the paramedics, her ex-husband, Danny Keough, who lived with Presley, performed CPR, according to TMZ.

At the Golden Globes on January 10, Lisa Marie and Priscilla Presley witnessed Austin Butler receive the award for best lead actor in a drama for his starring performance in Elvis.

They also went to Elvis pre-Globes celebration on Sunday, where the family celebrated the King of Rock 'n Roll's 88th birthday.

"I am so amazed by this movie, its impact, and what Austin has accomplished. I'm very happy. I'm sure my father would be quite proud as well, Lisa Marie added during the occasion.

Riley Keough, her daughter, has appeared in movies like Zola, The Devil Always and Mad Max: Fury Road.

Lisa Marie Presley, the sole child of one of the most well-known celebrities in history, experienced her parent's divorce when she was five years old, her father's death when she was nine, and a period of drug usage prior to converting to Scientology.

She admitted to Playboy that her mother's boyfriend had inappropriate behaviour against her and was a regular in the media because of her brief marriages to Nicolas Cage and Michael Jackson.

Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad on Thursday condoled the death of former Union minister Sharad Yadav and asserted that their mutual differences "never resulted in any type of bitterness".

Prasad, who has engaged in electoral battles with Yadav in the Madhepura Lok Sabha seat, issued a video statement from his hospital bed in Singapore where he is recuperating from a kidney transplant surgery.

Referring to Sharad Yadav as "bade bhai" (big brother), Prasad recalled his old association with the deceased leader.

"He, besides late Mulayam Singh Yadav, Nitish Kumar and myself learnt politics of socialism from Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur," said the septuagenarian.

"On many an occasion, Sharad Yadav and I fought with each other. But our disagreements never led to any bitterness," said the RJD supremo who had held out a helping hand to Yadav when the latter was struggling to come out of political wilderness.

Forced out of the Janata Dal-United, which he once headed, following a tiff with the de facto leader, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Yadav had floated Loktantrik Janata Dal.

At Prasad's instance, he was given an RJD ticket in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and his daughter Subhashini Yadav was fielded by the party in the assembly polls a year later.

In 2022, Yadav merged his party with the RJD. -- PTI

At a time when the world is faced with continued economic slowdown and social distress, the international community counts a lot on India's leadership of G-20, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund said Thursday.

"India, which is the president of G-20 countries, remains among the countries that perform better than global average and by a good percentage," IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva told reporters during a media roundtable.

India formally assumed the G20 (Group of 20) Presidency on December 1. The next G20 Leaders' Summit at the level of Heads of State/Government is scheduled to be held on September 9 and 10 in New Delhi.

"We count a lot on India's leadership of the G-20. Because it is such a critical time for the world to protect its own wellbeing by protecting the integrated global economy. I hope that India will do that huge global service keeping us together," she said.

Georgieva lauded India for embracing digitization.

"What we see us working extremely well for India is how the country has taken digitization that was accelerated by COVID-19 to be a strong comparative advantage, both for public policy and for private sector growth," the IMF Managing Director said in response to a question.

For public policy, because the combination of digital ID and digital public infrastructure allows India to move policy support on a digital platform and to target extremely well those who are recipients of the support as well as to become a bright example of vaccinations done in a prioritized and highly effective manner, she noted.

"On the private sector side, because that has become a fertile ground for very rapid expansion of branded financing and enterprises. And that India intends to take to the G-20 as an area to build comparative strength," she said.

According to Georgieva, one of the priorities in the G-20 is how to make digitization built on a public platform, public infrastructure that allows everybody to plug in and significantly reduces costs of digitization; how that can be a source of growth and employment. So that is definitely one area.

India, she noted, has done some painful reforms which are now paying off. The country, she said, faces difficulties on the climate front, very dramatic impact on agriculture because of very severe vulnerability of climate shocks, especially droughts and high temperatures.

Two American tourists, who visited the Taj Mahal on January 10, have tested COVID-19 positive, a senior health official said on Thursday.

Chief medical officer of Agra, Dr Arun Srivastava, said that the two American tourists were part of a group and were staying in a hotel after coming from Varanasi.

He said that samples of everyone in the group was taken but only the two Americans tested positive.

"They reached Agra on January 9 via Varanasi and stayed in a hotel in Agra and on January 10 visited Taj Mahal. Samples of the tourists were taken by the team of the health department of Agra at the east gate of the Taj Mahal," he told PTI.

He said that samples of the tourists have been sent for genome sequencing in Lucknow. Srivastava said that they have also alerted the health department of Jaipur in Rajasthan as the group of tourists was next headed to the northern state after completing its Agra tour.

"After Agra tourists have gone to Jaipur in Rajasthan and as the report came positive, we have alerted the health department of Jaipur and informed about the tourists," he said. -- PTI

A Dalit man was allegedly assaulted by a group of people and singed with burning sticks when he entered a temple to offer prayers at Salra village in Mori area of Uttarkashi district, the police said on Thursday.

The incident took place on January 9 when 22-year-old Ayush, a resident of Bainol village, visited the temple, they said.

According to the victim's complaint to police, some people belonging to upper class assaulted him at the temple, tied him up and singed him with burning sticks throughout the night.

Ayush was rushed to the primary health centre on January 10 from where he was referred to a higher centre for better treatment, officials said.

Ayush in his complaint said the attackers were angry as he entered the temple despite being a Dalit.

Based on the complaint of Ayush, a case has been registered under the SC/ST Act against five villagers in connection with the incident, Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Arpan Yaduvanshi said. -- PTI

Multi-tier security arrangements are in place ahead of Union Home minister Amit Shah's visit to Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Friday where is scheduled to meet the families of twin terror attacks victims, officials said.

Tight security arrangements have been made in the district's Dhangri hamlet where roads have been repaired and CCTV cameras installed, they said.

The Union Home minister is also scheduled to chair a high-level meeting to review the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, they said, adding that senior officers of different forces and intelligence agencies will be part of it.

The twin terror attacks had left seven people of minority community, including two children, dead and fourteen others injured in the Dhangri hamlet.

Shah is scheduled to reach Rajouri in the morning and will move straight to the Dhangri village.

Union Home Minister will meet members of all three families who have suffered loss in the terrorist attack, they said.

Officials said massive security arrangements have been put in place in Rajouri district ahead of the Union minister's visit and the entire Dhangri area of Rajouri has been turned into a restricted zone. -- PTI

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