LIVE! Qatar announces truce extension in Gaza by 2 days

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Mon, 27 November 2023

Qatar announces truce extension in Gaza by 2 days

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23:51 Himalayan black bear mauls Zoo keeper to death in Andhtra Pradesh

A 23-year-old animal keeper was mauled to death by a Himalayan black bear in the Indira Gandhi Zoological Park (Vizag Zoo) on Monday.

B Nagesh Babu was attacked by Jihwan, the bear, estimated to be around 15 years old, an official said.

"Nagesh had left all the doors open in the animal night house and gone inside to clean, following which the animal came into the night house and attacked the keeper," said Vizag Zoo curator Nandani Salaria in a release.

According to the Zoo, Babu was found lying in an unconscious state with serious injuries on head, left arm and chest by the animal night house.

Following the attack, the zoo officials managed to lure the beast back into its enclosure using honey.

The Forest Department declared a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to Babu's family. -- PTI

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23:48 Qatar announces truce extension in Gaza by 2 days

Qatar has successfully negotiated an agreement between Israel and Hamas to extend the four-day truce between them by an additional two days, Doha's foreign ministry spokesperson said.

"The State of Qatar announces, as part of the ongoing mediation, an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip," posted spokesperson Majed Al Ansari on X.

This means at least ten more Israeli hostages will be released on Tuesday and that another ten will be released on Wednesday, with 30 Palestinian prisoners to be freed by Israel on each day as well, as reported by The Times of Israel.

There is no immediate Israeli confirmation of the truce extension but Hamas issues its own statement confirming as much, crediting the Qatari and Egyptian mediation efforts, it added.

As the deal appears to be back on track following an earlier dispute, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office has announced that Israeli authorities have informed the families of the hostages set to be released in the following hours.

An Israeli official told The Times of Israel earlier that Hamas was trying to separate mothers from their children in today's release, which Israel appears to have succeeded in blocking.

Hebrew media reports that 11 Israeli hostages will be released shortly -- nine children and two women, who are the mothers of some of the children.

There has not been an official Israeli statement confirming these numbers. -- ANI

Quota activist Manoj Jarange

23:39 Under fire from OBC leaders, activist Jarange withdraws 'undeserving people' remarks

Quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday retracted his remarks on the Marathas working under "undeserving people', which were seen as an insult to the Other Backward Classes in Maharashtra and invited a backlash, saying he wanted to remain focused on protecting the interest of his community.

Jarange has undertaken hunger strikes lasting several days on two different occasions since August-end as part of his agitation seeking reservation in government jobs and education for Maratha community members and has been holding rallies across the state in support of his demand.

peaking at a rally in Pune on Monday last (November 20), he stoked a controversy by saying,

"Our kids are smart and intelligent. However, we are left with no option but to work under undeserving people. Had we got reservation benefits 70 years ago, the Marathas would have been the most advanced community by now."

Although the activist did not take any particular community's name, his remarks did not go down well with the state's OBC leaders who saw it as insulting and strongly criticised his choice of words. -- PTI

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23:17 Bengal forest dept 'seizes' goods train that killed 3 elephants in Alipurduar

West Bengal's forest department on Monday "seized" a goods train that killed three elephants when they were crossing the tracks passing through the forests at Rajabhatkhawa in Alipurduar district, an official said.

Chief Wildlife Warden Debal Roy told PTI that the train was "seized" following the accident that happened at 7.20 am.

"The seizure is technical here. It is not that the forest department has taken physical possession of the goods train. The train is at the accident site. The seizure process involves some paperwork," he said.

The Rajabhatkhawa-Kalchini section where the accident happened is not covered by the Intrusion Detection System meant to avert such collisions, a senior official of the Northeast Frontier Railway (said. The incident happened when the empty goods train was going from Alipurduar to Siliguri, he said. The forested Rajabhatkhawa area is situated beside the Buxa Tiger Reserve in the northern region of the state. "No caution order was there at that time and such speed limit is operational in the area from 5 pm to 5 am," the NFR official said. -- PTI

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22:58 Delhi airport: 16 flights diverted due to bad weather

As many as 16 flights were diverted at the Delhi airport on Monday evening due to bad weather, according to an official.

The flights were diverted between 1800 and 2000 hours.

The official said that 10 flights were diverted to Jaipur, three to Lucknow, two to Amritsar and one to Ahmedabad.

Another official said five Air India flights were diverted. Among them, a flight coming from Sydney was diverted to Jaipur. -- PTI

A 55-year-old woman has been strangled to death with a saree in Jagdishpur village, the ninth such killing in the last five months in the Shishgarh and Shahi Adi areas of Bareilly district using a garment, according to the police.

Surveillance has been increased and two special teams have been formed to crack the cases, they said.

This is the ninth such incident reported from areas under the Shishgarh and Shahi Adi police stations, the police said and added that all the victims were middle-aged women strangled to death with either "a saree or a chunari".

There are many similarities about this (Jagdishpur village case) and another eight incidents in the past five months, inspector general of police, Bareilly, Rakesh Singh, said.

He said serious note has been taken and meetings will be held with people of villages where these incidents have happened.

Of the two special teams, one will work directly on the cases, while the other will collect inputs from village chiefs and persons concerned, Singh said, adding that police personnel in plain clothes will be deployed.

On the latest killing, the police said Urmila Devi Gangwar, a resident of Jagdishpur village, had gone to a field on Sunday afternoon to collect fodder for her animals but did not return home.

Her husband started searching for her, and found her broken bangles on a road's side, about 400 metres from the village.

Later, he found her body, they said.

There were also injury marks on the back of her head, the police said. -- PTI

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22:24 Stir against Vendanta arm turns violent in Jharkhand

Several people including a few police personnel were injured following a clash between villagers and cops in Jharkhand's Bokaro district on Monday.

According to officials, the incident took place outside the main gate of ESL Steel Limited, a Vedanta Group company, around 140km from Bokaro.

The police said the villagers, who were staging a dharna outside the company's gate in support of its nine-point charter of demands since morning, allegedly tried to enter the premises of the company when they were stopped by the firm's security men.

Siyaljori circle inspector Ravi Kumar Anand said when police personnel were deployed to bring the situation under control, villagers pelted stones at them in which several cops were injured.

He added that a number of villagers also sustained injuries when police used mild lathi-charge to disperse them.

He said the injured have been admitted to the company's hospital and the condition of all them are stable.

An FIR has also been lodged in this regard, Anand said.

In a statement, ESL Steel Limited said, "While ESL, Vedanta maintains that issues should be resolved through talks, the locals have taken the law into their hands. They have indulged in stone pelting and assault on state police and our security with sticks and stones. In the process, many policemen have been injured. The locals have also damaged private vehicles and police vehicles outside the plant gate. We strongly condemn such acts of violence and remain open to a constructive dialogue." -- PTI

Pic: Lin Laishram/Instagram

22:11 Randeep Hooda reaches Manipur for wedding

ollywood actor Randeep Hooda arrived in Imphal on Monday to marry his girlfriend Manipuri model and actress Lin Laishram.

Talking to reporters after offering prayers at a temple at Heingang in Imphal East district, Hooda said, "Peace for Manipur, peace everywhere in the world and happy married life."

Asked if other Bollywood stars would be attending the November 29 wedding, Hooda said, "It's just me."

Later in the evening, the duo went to Shri Govindaji temple to offer prayers.

On Saturday, Randeep, 47, and Lin took to Instagram to share the details about their wedding in the latter's hometown, which will be followed by a reception in Mumbai for their film industry friends.

"Taking a leaf out of Mahabharata where Arjuna married Manipuri warrior princess Chitrangada, we are getting married with the blessing from our family and friends.

"We are filled with immense joy to share that our marriage will take place on the 29th November, 2023, Imphal, Manipur, followed by a reception in Mumbai. As we set to embark on this journey, we seek your blessing and love for this union of cultures, for which we are forever indebted and grateful," the couple said in a joint statement.

The duo has been in a relationship for some time.

Lin, 37, is a model, actor and businesswoman, who has featured in films such as Mary Kom, Rangoon and recently, in Jaane Jaan. Hooda was last seen in movie Sergeant. His upcoming film is Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, which he has also directed.

To know about the lady Randeep Hooda is marrying, click on this Rediff.com link.

American actor and film producer Michael Douglas (left)

21:34 India is in very good hands: Michael Douglas lauds Modi at IFFI 2023

American actor and film producer Michael Douglas applauded the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the field of film production and finance at the 54th International Film Festival of India in Goa.

While talking about the relevance of the festival and PM Modi's leadership skills, he said, "I also think this is more and more the sort of spirit, and the beauty of this festival are you had 78 foreign countries represented and it's only a reflection of the strength of your Indian filming, which is renowned and known around the world. I think you're in very good hands I think it's beginning to."

He also praised Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur for his efforts.

Talking to the media, he said, "As I mentioned I do think that under minister Anurag Thakur as well as Prime minister Modi the last few years we've seen more money put into the production and financing of films, it's been a very successful time."

He also said that the movies unite people irrespective of race, religion and gender. -- ANI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

21:07 UP court summons Rahul Gandhi over Amit Shah remarks

An MP-MLA court has summoned Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a 2018 defamation case over alleged "objectionable" comments he made against Union minister Amit Shah, the petitioner's counsel said.

During a hearing on the case on Monday, MP/MLA court judge Yogesh Yadav summoned Gandhi on December 16, advocate Santosh Pandey said.

The defamation case was filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra in 2018 against the Congress leader for allegedly making "objectionable" comments against Shah at a press conference in Bengaluru.

The complainant had referred to Gandhi's comment that the BJP which claims to believe in honest and clean politics has a party president who is an "accused" in a murder case.

Shah was the BJP president when Gandhi made the remark. About four years before Gandhi's remark, a special CBI court in Mumbai had discharged Shah in a 2005 fake encounter case when Shah was a minister of state for home in Gujarat. -- PTI

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20:56 Six-year-old girl student kidnapped in broad daylight in Kerala's Kollam

A six-year-old girl was kidnapped in broad daylight on Monday by unknown persons from near Pooyappally area of Kollam district.

The kidnappers, suspected to be four in number and including one woman, came in a white car and abducted the child while she was going for tuition along with her elder eight-year-old brother, the police said.

When the boy tried to stop them, they pushed him aside and whisked away the girl in the car, an officer of Pooyappally police station said.

"We have collected CCTV footage from cameras in the area and are presently going through it. The vehicle used in the kidnapping is suspected to be a white sedan -- either a Honda Amaze or a Swift Dzire," the officer said.

The incident occurred between 4 pm and 4.30 pm.

The victim's brother suffered injuries to his knees while trying to save his sister, they said. -- PTI

A 17-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a youth who had befriended her on social media and his three friends in a car in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior district, the police said on Monday.

The police have invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act since the victim is a Dalit, an official said, adding that nobody has been arrested so far.

The incident occurred on November 21 but a complaint was lodged four days later as the girl kept mum because she was threatened by the accused against disclosing the incident, an official said.

Additional superintendent of police Niranjan Sharma said the girl and her family lodged a complaint at Old Chhaoni police station.

"The girl became friends with a youth on Facebook last year. On November 21, her male friend took her to a deserted forest area in a car where he and his three friends raped her and also threatened to kill her," he said.

A case was registered under sections 376 (Punishment for rape), and 377 (unnatural act) among others, along with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

According to sources in police, the victim has claimed that one of the accused is a close relative of a politician. -- PTI

Akshara Singh on X

20:12 Bhojpuri actress Akshara Singh joins Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj

Bhojpuri actress Akshara Singh on Monday announced that she has joined 'Jan Suraaj', the campaign launched a year ago by political strategist-turned-activist Prashant Kishor, who has vowed to transform his home state Bihar.

Making the announcement at the Jan Suraaj office in Patna, Singh called herself a "Bihar ki beti" who was moved by the aspiration of Kishor, currently away in north Bihar as part of a statewide pada yatra.

Often called "Bhojpuri Queen" by virtue of being a highly paid actress in the relatively smaller budget regional cinema, Singh told reporters, "I chose Jan Suraaj precisely because it is a movement and not a run of the mill political party".

"If I had any political ambitions, had I been looking for a ticket in elections, I could have approached my well wishers who are aplenty in all political parties. But my dream is to see a developed (viksit) Bihar and I feel proud to be associated with Prashant Kishor who is working to this end tirelessly", the actress said.

She was also asked about her recent meeting with Union minister and former BJP president Nitin Gadkari, which had fuelled speculations of her joining the party with which a number of her seniors in Bhojpuri cinema like Manoj Tiwari, Ravi Kishan and Dinesh Lal Yadav "Nirahua" have been associated. -- PTI

Seven students of an agricultural university have been arrested here under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for allegedly raising objectionable slogans and celebrating the Indian cricket team's loss in the World Cup final, officials said on Monday.

The arrested youths are studying at the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir, the officials said.

The students were arrested after police launched an investigation into a complaint by a non-local student who alleged his collegemates had harassed him and raised objectionable slogans after India lost the final match and the cup to Australia.

The students have been booked under various sections of the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code, the officials said. -- PTI

Chief Minister Hemant Soren

19:38 DVC hydel project won't be allowed: Hemant Soren amid tribals' stir

Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday said that the Damodar Valley Corporation will not be allowed to build the proposed hydel pumped storage project at Lugu Buru Pahad, one of the significant religious sites of the Santhali tribe, in Jharkhand's Bokaro district.

Addressing the 23rd International Santhal Sarna Dharma Mahasammelan, Soren said till he is the chief minister of the state, the hydel project will not be allowed at Lugu Buru Pahad or hills.

The tribal community has been protesting against the project, threatening a state-wide agitation.

The state's Tribal Advisory Council on November 17 had also recommended against the project as the area is considered to be a religious site by the Santhalis.

"Work will be undertaken to preserve the Lugu Buru Pahad," Soren said, adding that tribals are worshippers of nature.

"They have been keeping the mountains green. The history of Lugu Buru has to be preserved," he said.

He also performed rituals at Punay Than, the sanctum sanctorum, at Lugu Buru.

"I prayed for the prosperity and healthy life of the people of the state," he later posted on X. -- PTI

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19:18 Airline security officer among 2 held with 40 kg of ganja at Tripura airport

Two persons including a security executive of an airline were arrested on the charge of trying to smuggle 40 kg of ganja valued at Rs 2 lakh in a flight from Agartala to Kolkata on Monday, a police officer said.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team reached the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport in the Tripura capital and caught the two at the security checkpoint.

While one of them was carrying the contraband, the other one who is a security executive of an airline, was helping him smuggle the ganja in a flight, sub divisional police officer of New Capital Complex, Parmita Pandey, said.

She said the police suspect more people are likely to be involved in ganja smuggling via flights. -- PTI

Leaders of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party faction and Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray were behind the violence that had erupted in Antarwali Sarati village, the ground zero of the Maratha quota stir, in Jalna district of Maharashtra in September, the ruling Shiv Sena alleged on Monday.

The police had used baton-charge and fired teargas shells to disperse a violent mob on Dhule-Solapur road in Ambad tehsil of Jalna district on September 1 amid opposition to shift fasting Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange to a hospital.

"Leaders of the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party and Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-UBT were behind the violence that occurred in Antarwali Sarati village," Sanjay Shirsat, the spokesperson of Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, alleged while speaking to reporters.

He alleged a "contract" was given for the violence and a person arrested by the police later was found with a revolver.

"Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut had earlier given a statement saying there can be violence in Maharashtra. A leader from NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) was present in Jalna guest house when the incident occurred in Antarwali Sarati village," the MLA alleged. Shirsat further said since the inquiry is underway, he would not name the leader who was present in the guest house.

"But those who tried to trigger violence and defame the Maharashtra government will not be spared and action will be taken against them," he said, adding that the Antarwali Sarati incident occurred when Maratha quota agitation was going on peacefully. -- PTI

A 73-year-old dairy farmer was found hanging at his residence in Kolakkad, in this north Kerala district on Monday, the police said.

The police suspect that it was a case of suicide, and M R Albert Mundakkal took the extreme step after a bank served him an attachment notice due to default on repayments.

Albert, a long-time president of the Kolakkad Diary Cooperative, had borrowed Rs 2 lakh from the Peravoor branch of Kerala Bank by pledging his property.

The bank, noticing the repayment defaults, recently served him with an attachment notice, setting the repayment deadline for Tuesday.

Sources said that Albert had sought financial assistance from Kudumbashree (an all-women network under the Kerala government) on Sunday, but his efforts were unsuccessful.

The impending deadline and financial pressure seemingly led him to take the extreme step, they added. -- PTI

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde

18:11 Some people did not like certain parts of Anand Dighe biopic: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday said late Anand Dighe, who is his mentor, built an empire of citizens without being on any official post.

Speaking at the 'muhurat' of Dharamveer-2, the second part of a biopic on Dighe, a hugely popular Shiv Sena leader in the Thane belt, Shinde, without naming anyone, said some people did not like the way certain events were depicted in the first part titled Dharamveer Mukkam Post.

"However, circumstances are such now that whether one likes it or not "we are the deciding authority", he asserted.

"Ours is the full and final decision and we are going ahead with what we feel is right," Shinde said.

Dighe, a firebrand leader, ran the Shiv Sena in the Thane-Palghar belt and adjoining areas in his own way and enjoyed a massive following among people and unflinching loyalty from leaders here.

Thanking the actors and artistes who contributed for the first part, which released in May last year, Shinde said it had enhanced the popularity of Dighe worldwide and had also won 17 awards.

Multiple films will have to be made to encompass all the achievements of the late leader, Shinde claimed. Shinde said he was walking on the path shown by Dighe and Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray and was ensuring his government used satta, sampati aur adhikaar (government, wealth and power) for the benefit of citizens.

Recalling that Dighe had donate a silver brick for the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the CM said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had kept his promise and the grand place of worship will be inaugurated on January 22.

"We will all be present there on the occasion," Shinde said. -- PTI

Elon Musk, who's been under fire over accusations of antisemitism flourishing on his social media platform X, paid a visit Monday to Israel, where he toured a kibbutz that was attacked last month by Hamas militants and was set to meet with top leaders.

The billionaire and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu toured the Kfar Azza kibbutz, which was stormed by Hamas militants on Oct 7.

Musk, wearing a protective vest and escorted by a phalanx of security personnel, used his phone to take photos or videos of the devastation, according to video released by Netanyahu's office.

Musk also was due to meet Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Benny Gantz, a former defense minister who's now part of a special war Cabinet. Government spokesperson Eylon Levy declined to say whether Musk was invited or came on his own. X, formerly known as Twitter, did not respond to a request for comment.

Israel's communications minister, Shlomo Karhi, tweeted earlier Monday about a deal that his ministry had reached with Musk's Starlink satellite internet company.

As a result of this significant agreement, Starlink satellite units can only be operated in Israel with the approval of the Israeli Ministry of Communications, including the Gaza Strip, Karhi wrote, without providing further details.

Musk has faced accusations of tolerating antisemitic messages on the platform since purchasing it last year, and the content on X has gained increased scrutiny since the war between Israel and Hamas began. -- ANI

Bhartiya Janata Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday of being 'crime master Gogo', a fictional character who dupes people and accused the AAP government of discrepancies in the Delhi Jal Board's (DJB) tendering process for upgrading its sewage treatment plants.

Questioning the AAP government's silence on the Delhi Jal Board scam, BJP leader Gaurav Bhatia said, "There are many illegalities in the said scam, but the 'crime-master' Gogo (Arvind Kejriwal) will not speak a word on corruption-related matters."

Bhatia said ten sewage treatment plants in the city were divided into two categories and only upgradation was to be done in the first category, while in the second category, the work was related to increasing the capacity.

Addressing the media, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said, "If there is any politician in India who has mastered the art of corruption, lies, and deceit then it is Arvind Kejriwal..."

He added that the estimated cost of the project was Rs 1,500 crore but the Delhi Jal Board awarded contracts worth around Rs 1,938 crore last year.

Alleging the AAP government's corruption in the Delhi Jal Board scam, Bhatia said, "A scam related to the Delhi Jal Board has surfaced. 10 STP (sewage treatment plants) divided into two categories.

"In the first category, only upgradation was to be done and in the second category, work was to be done to increase the capacity. Its estimated cost was Rs 1,500 crore but in 2022, the Delhi Jal Board awarded the contracts, the total value of which was around Rs 1,938 crore." -- ANI

Manual horizontal digging will start soon in addition to the ongoing top-down drilling to rescue the 41 trapped workers in the Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi, NDMA said on Monday.

Manual drilling was resorted to as the auger drill -- a corkscrew-like device with a rotary blade at the front end -- which drilled up to 46.8 metres busted as it hit several hurdles on the way and got entangled in a girder in the debris.

Vertical and manual horizontal drilling are the two methods on which rescue efforts are being focused at the moment. Work on the other options, such as horizontal drilling from the Barkot end of the tunnel is also underway.

A total of 86 metres have to be drilled vertically to prepare an escape passage. Pipes of 1.2 metres in diameter have to be laid vertically through the top of the tunnel on which work began on Sunday as a second option to reach the stranded labourers.

Giving an update on the rescue operations, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) Member Lt Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain told reporters here that rat-hole miners will start manual digging shortly. Broken parts of the auger machine have been removed from the rubble with the help of a plasma cutter flown in from Hyderabad.

He further said the government is fully committed to the safe rescue of all the 41 workers who have been trapped in the tunnel since November 12. Hasnain said both private and public agencies are involved in the rescue operations.

Prime Minister's Principal Secretary PK Mishra, Home Secretary Ajay K Bhalla and Uttarakhand Chief Secretary S S Sandhu also took stock of the ongoing rescue operations. PTI

The Adani Group has issued a clarification that it has no involvement in the construction of the Uttarakhand tunnel that collapsed, in which 41 workers have been trapped for 16 days now.

The company stated that it strongly condemns the attempts to link it to the incident. Adani Group or any of its subsidiaries have no direct or indirect involvement in the construction of the Uttarkashi tunnel.

The Indian conglomerate said in a media statement Monday that some elements are making attempts to link them to the unfortunate collapse of the under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand. The Navayuga Engineering Company Limited was building the tunnel.

"We also clarify that we do not own or hold any shares in the company involved in the tunnel's construction," an Adani Group spokesperson said in the media statement.

"At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with the trapped workers and their families," the spokesperson added.

Multiple agencies are working on the rescue efforts. In the latest, the Indian Air Force has also joined in as it flew in critical DRDO equipment.

A portion of the high-altitude under-construction tunnel caved in on November 12, trapping as many as 41 workers -- ANI

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16:26 Classmates stab Class 4 student 108 times with...

A student of Class 4 was allegedly attacked by three of his classmates 108 times with a geometry compass during a fight at a private school in Indore city of Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Monday.

Taking cognisance of the incident, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) has asked for the investigation report from the police, the official said. Talking to PTI, CWC chairperson Pallavi Porwal said the student was allegedly attacked 108 times with a geometry compass by his classmates during a fight at a private school under the limits of Aerodrome police station on November 24.

"The case is shocking. We have sought an investigation report from the police to find out the reason for the violent behaviour of children of such a young age," she said.

The CWC will counsel children and their families in connection with the incident and find out whether the children play video games that contain violent scenes, Porwal said.

The father of the victim alleged that the boy had sustained puncture wounds in the attack that occurred at the school around 2 pm on November 24. He was taken to a hospital and administered first aid, after which he was allowed to leave.

"My son narrated the ordeal when he returned home. I still do not know why he was treated so violently by his classmates. The school management is not providing me the CCTV footage of the classroom," he said.

A complaint has been lodged about the incident at the Aerodrome police station, he said. Assistant Commissioner of Police Vivek Singh Chauhan said the victim underwent a medical examination after the complaint was lodged.

All children involved in the incident are below 10 years of age, and appropriate steps are being taken as per the legal provisions, he said. PTI

Principal Secretary to the PM, Pramod Kumar Mishra

15:48 Modi sends babu from PMO to tunnel collapse site

A delegation led by Principal Secretary to Prime Minister, Pramod Kumar Mishra took stock of ongoing efforts to rescue 41 trapped workers in Silkyara tunnel in Uttarkashi on the 16th day of the operations.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Uttarakhand Chief Secretary SS Sandhu along with Pramod Kumar Mishra inspected the work inside the tunnel.

The Principal Secretary also enquired about the food items sent to the workers trapped inside the tunnel. PK Mishra also spoke to the trapped workers and their families.

Micro tunnelling expert Chris Cooper said earlier today that all the debris of the auger machine has been removed and manual drilling to reach the trapped labourers will start in a few hours.

The auger machine being used for horizontal drilling of the tunnel that got stuck inside the pipe was cut and removed using a plasma cutter, on Monday morning.

Vouching for the manual method, former Army Engineer-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (Retd), told ANI that there is no other way left except the manual method to reach the trapped workers.

Singh said that he reached the site to provide technical inputs and further aid the ongoing rescue operations. He added that efforts are made on all fronts to speed up the rescue process.

As per official sources, the rat hole mining technique will be used through manual drilling to remove the debris inside the pipe to accelerate the rescue.

The rat hole mining technique is generally used in coal mining, especially in regions that have difficult terrain. -- ANI

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday attacked the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led regime, alleging that all "big" leaders in the BRS are sitting in farmhouses and running the government, and the poor are becoming poorer while the ruling party is becoming richer.

Addressing a poll rally at Bhongir, about 50 km from Hyderabad, she alleged that if the BRS is voted to power again, the government will run from "farmhouse" and the land liquor mafia will rule the state, while there will not be any employment opportunities available.

Appealing to people to vote for the Congress, she listed out the "six guarantees" announced by the party for the November 30 assembly polls. "Big leaders of Telangana are sitting in their mansions and farmhouses and running the government... All its (BRS) leaders are sitting in big mansions. All their policies are for big business people only. They do not have anything for the small business people, middle class, poor, Dalits and Adivasis," she said.

"Telangana's poor are becoming poorer and the BRS party is getting richer," she added. The Congress leader alleged that whether the BJP or BRS, their policy is to just stay in power and become richer. The respective party leaders also become rich, she said.

"When elections come, they start poll management. They should be taught that Telangana people are not for sale," she said.

Asserting that the "dreams" of Telangana people have been shattered, she said there is corruption in the BRS government "from top to bottom at every stage", even as no project, including the Kaleshwaram irrigation project, was completed fully. -- PTI

14:53 Tunnel workers given eye drops, movies, undies

As the rescue operation has been delayed due to the hurdles in drilling, the workers have been counselled by doctors and psychiatrists to keep them motivated.

Dr Prem Pokhriyal, another senior doctor with the medical team said, the trapped workers are being examined regularly.

"Initially, we gave them juices and energy drinks. But now they are getting proper meals. In the morning, we send boiled eggs, milk, tea and dalia and for lunch and dinner, they get dal, rice, chapati and subzi. Disposable plates have been given to them," he said.

"To keep them hydrated, I told them to drink ORS power, which is already sent. Eye drops, vitamin tablets and other energy drinks have also been sent to them," Dr Pokhriyal said and added a lot of stock of dry fruits and biscuits have also been given.

An official said toothpaste, brushes, towels, clothes and undergarments, all are being provided to them. Mobile phones containing movies and video games were given to them, he said.

"I talk to them daily," Dr Pokhriyal said. For sleep, fortunately, there were bundles of geotextile sheets, which were lying inside. They used them for sleep. The workers do yoga and exercise and walk in the tunnel in the morning and evening," he said.

The stretch where they are trapped is about two kilometres and the temperature is between 22 degrees Celsius to 24 degrees Celsius. "They do not require woollen clothes as of now," he said.

They have a round-the-clock electricity supply. When the rubble collapsed, the electricity supply which was set during the construction was not destroyed, as it was done through the walls, an official said

Israeli soldiers in Gaza

14:26 Israel evaluating list of hostages set for release

Discussions are ongoing regarding a list of hostages to be released today that was received overnight and is being "evaluated," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office Minister's Office-Coordinator for the Hostages and Missing has announced in a statement.

It further said that additional information will be issued when possible. Taking to X, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office stated, "Announcement by the Prime Minister's Office-Coordinator for the Hostages and Missing: Discussions are being held on the list that was received overnight and which is now being evaluated in Israel. Additional information will be issued when possible."

Israel has received the list of 11 hostages that are set to be released today after 52 days of being in captivity in Gaza, The Times of Israel reported citing Hebrew media outlets report.

According to the report, families of the victims have not been notified whether their loved ones are on the list of hostages that are set to be released today. It is pertinent to note here that so far, Hamas has released 39 abductees in the first three days of a temporary ceasefire deal.

According to a temporary ceasefire deal, 50 hostages will be released in four days in return for 150 Palestinian security prisoners. The deal can be extended by a day for every 10 additional hostages set free.

As per the news report, Hamas has expressed willingness to extend the truce and the two sides are reportedly holding negotiations on such an extension. -- ANI

"Don't be nervous, we're on it." That's what family members of Saba Ahmad, one of the 41 workers trapped at Sikyara tunnel for the last 15 days, keep telling whenever they communicate with him.

A mic has been sent to the workers, stuck in a 2-km built-up area beyond the rubble accumulated in the collapsed part, through a pipe which helps them talk to people outside. As the rescue operation got delayed due to the hurdles in drilling, Saba Ahmad was counselled by doctors and psychiatrists to keep him motivated, his brother Naiiyar Ahmad told PTI.

A team of doctors, stationed at the rescue operation site, talk to the trapped workers twice a day -- from 9 am to 11 am and 5 pm to 8 pm. Also, family members of the trapped workers are allowed to talk to them anytime they like. The administration has set up a camp for the kin of the workers outside the tunnel.

Naiiyar, who is staying in a room provided by the construction company, near the camp said he talks to his brother twice daily and also makes sure that Saba's wife and three children, who are in Bihar's Bhojpur, talk to him.

"We keep motivating him. We never talk about the difficulties and hurdles but tell them that they will come out soon. The workers are doing fine as they get almost every essential item inside," Naiyyar said.

It has been 16 days since the 41 workers were trapped inside the tunnel after a portion of it collapsed on November 12. The rescue operation was started soon after the incident but the work was delayed due to hurdles in drilling. A team of five doctors, including two psychiatrists, have been stationed at the rescue site round the clock.

Dr Bimlesh Joshi, who is a nodal officer of the medical team at the site, said, "Apart from this, at least 10 more doctors remain on standby in Uttarkashi till the rescue operation is on."

The psychiatrists and doctors are constantly in touch with the family members and keep counselling them as and when required so that they do not say something which can make any negative impact on the minds of the trapped workers, he said. Dr Prem Pokhriyal, another senior doctor with the medical team said, the trapped workers are being examined regularly.

"Initially, we gave them juices and energy drinks. But now they are getting proper meals. In the morning, we send boiled eggs, milk, tea and dalia and for lunch and dinner, they get dal, rice, chapati and subji. Disposable plates have been given to them," he said.

An official said toothpaste, brushes, towels, clothes and undergarments, all are being provided to them. Mobile phones containing movies and video games were given to them, he said.

"I talk to them daily," Dr Pokhriyal said.

For sleep, fortunately, there were bundles of geotextile sheets, which were lying inside. They used them for sleep. The workers do yoga and exercise and walk in the tunnel in the morning and evening," he said.

As operations to rescue the 41 trapped workers at the Silkyara Tunnel collapse site entered day 16, there was some positive news with Micro tunnelling expert Chris Cooper saying that all the debris of the auger machine has been removed and manual drilling to reach the trapped labourers will start in a few hours.

"All the debris (of the Auger machine) removed. (Manual drilling) will probably start after 3 hours," Chris Cooper told ANI today.

Earlier today, the auger machine being used for horizontal drilling of the tunnel that got stuck inside the pipe was cut and removed using a plasma cutter.

"We have 9 meters of hand tunnelling to do. It really depends on how the ground behaves. Could be quickly, could be a bit longer. If we hit some lattice girder. Then we've got to cut out the lattice girder, but we're confident we can get through. The Army is just supervising (the operation). 30 metres of (vertical drilling) has been done", he added. Vouching for the manual method, former Army Engineer-in-Chief, Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (Retd), earlier today, said that there is no other way left except the manual method to reach the trapped workers.

Singh said that he reached the site to provide technical inputs and further aid the ongoing rescue operations. He added that efforts are made on all fronts to speed up the rescue process.

As per official sources, the rat hole mining technique will be used through manual drilling to remove the debris inside the pipe to accelerate the rescue. The rat hole mining technique is generally used in coal mining, especially in regions that have difficult terrain.

A team of 6 specialists have reached the site to undertake the manual drilling work and a team of 11 people will go inside the 800 mm pipe of the tunnel to remove the debris manually.

The team includes engineers from the Indian Army's Madras Engineering Group as well as civilians. In collaboration with the Border Road Organisation and other agencies, efforts are also underway to enter from the other mouth of the tunnel that is the Barkot side.

Four blasts were undertaken under the supervision of BRO and so far only 10 metres out of 500 meters have been covered. -- ANI

Suspected Naxalites set afire at least 14 vehicles and machines engaged in construction works in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Monday, police said. No person was reported to be injured in the incident, which took place at around 1.30 am at Bangali camp under Bhansi police station limits, a senior police official said.

"As per eyewitnesses, 40 to 50 unidentified people, clad as civilians and a few of them armed, reached the spot and set ablaze 14 vehicles and machines, including trucks, poclain and earth moving machines, parked there," he said.

While 13 vehicles and machines, belonging to a private construction firm, were engaged in road construction between Dantewada and Bacheli, a water tanker was engaged in railway works, he said.

Soon after being alerted, a police team led by Bhansi station house officer went to the spot, he said. "Prima facie it seems to be the handiwork of Naxalites and search operation is underway in the area to trace the culprits," the official said. -- PTI

A released Palestinian prisoner. Ammar Awad/Reuters

12:27 Exchange terms: 1 Israeli = 3 Palestinian prisoners

For every Israeli citizen freed, three Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails are being released, the BBC reports.

Early indications suggest the truce, which expires at midnight, could be extended.

Israel is offering a further day of pause in the fighting in Gaza for every ten captives released -- and Hamas says it could agree to an extension.

A Palestinian official told the BBC between 20 to 40 additional Israeli hostages could be freed. Around 180 people remain in captivity, including about a dozen children.

Malaysia will grant a 30-day visa-free entry for Indian and Chinese citizens from December 1, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has announced, joining Thailand and Sri Lanka in recent weeks to offer such a facility to foreigners to promote tourism.

Ibrahim said the waiver was an additional facility to the existing visa exemptions currently enjoyed by Gulf nations and other West Asian countries, including Turkiye and Jordan.

However, Ibrahim, who is also the Finance Minister of the country, said the visa exemption was subject to top security screening, the official Bernama news agency reported. "Initial screenings will be conducted for all tourists and visitors to Malaysia. Security is a different matter. If there are criminal records or the risk of terrorism, they will not be allowed to enter," the prime minister said.

"That comes under the authority of the security forces and immigration," the premier said. The 30-day visa-free entry is also currently enjoyed by eight ASEAN countries for the purpose of social visits, tourism and business. Malaysia is currently targeting 16.1 million international tourist arrivals with RM 49.3 billion in tourism receipts.

Ambulances in wait at the site

11:36 Tunnel expert: No other way left except...

As the vertical drilling makes swift progress, former Engineer-in-Chief and Director General of Border Roads Organisation, Lieutenant General Harpal Singh (Retd) said that there is no other way left except manual method to reach the trapped workers in the Silkyara tunnel.

"There is no other way left except the manual method and this is also the safe one through which we can reach the labourers. In the current situation, the Auger machine that was stuck has been removed. Efforts are underway to remove the 1.5 meters of the damaged pipe. After its removal, strengthening and muck clearance, skilled labourers will go in with the help of the army. We hope this will be done soon," Lt. Gen Harpal Singh (retd) said.

Singh said that he reached the site to provide technical inputs and further aid the ongoing rescue operations. He added that efforts are made on all fronts to speed up the rescue process.

"I have come here to provide technical inputs and participate in further rescue operations. The work which is being done through the pipeline from below and also the work which is being done through vertical drilling from above which has been done around 31 meters, efforts are being made through both the routes," he said.

Speaking further on the manual drilling to be undertaken, he said, "We are here to assist, the operations are carried out by the Army and also other agencies. We all are working together. The works are done under the leadership of the Secretary of the Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH)."

"The Engineers Regiment of the Army has made a manual drift and along with them the people of the Engineer Regiment will work on laying the last 10-12 metre pipeline," he added.

11:23 Centre convenes all-party meeting on Dec 2

The government has convened an all-party meeting on December 2 ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament that is scheduled to begin on December 4.The Winter session of Parliament 2023 will conclude on December 22.On behalf of the government, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi has called an all-party meeting on December 2.

The all-party meeting is usually convened a day before the session begins, this time it has been preponed by a day due to the counting of votes for five states on December 3 where polls are underway.

The Winter session will be held a day after the declaration of results of assembly polls in five states - Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Mizoram and Telangana.

In an effort to step up the rescue operations in Uttarkashi, a rat hole mining technique will be used for manual drilling to remove the debris inside the pipe on the 16th day of continued rescue efforts in Silkyara tunnel, according to officials.

As per official sources, a team of six specialists have reached the site to undertake the manual drilling work. They will go inside the 800 mm pipe of the tunnel to remove the debris manually. The team includes engineers from the Indian Army's Madras Engineering Group as well as civlians.

Apart from the drilling machine, a hammer, a shovel, a trowel, and a life support device for oxygen will be carried by these specialised teams while going inside the tunnel.

The auger machine being used for horizontal drilling of the tunnel that got stuck inside the pipe was cut and removed earlier today using a plasma cutter. The auger machine stuck inside the pipe, produced 48 m of debris on the mouth of the tunnel, which will also be removed by the rat miners.

Rat miners are specialists in digging and drilling manually in narrow passages including tube mines who mostly work in mines and have the experience of drilling for hours.

The rat hole mining technique is generally used in coal mining, especially in regions that have difficult terrain.

"It is a challenging operation. We were called in from Delhi. We reached here yesterday. We are basically from Madhya Pradesh. We will try our best to complete the drilling process as soon as possible," one of the civilian specialists who reached the site to carry out manual drilling told ANI.

Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu was mobbed and heckled by a group of pro-Khalistani elements while on a visit to the Hicksville Gurdwara in Long Island, New York.

The Ambassador had gone to the Gurdwara to offer prayers on the occasion of Gurpurab.

According to a purported video shared on various social media accounts, Sandhu can be seen being confronted by extremist elements who were making statements about India designated terrorists Hardeep Singh Nijjar and Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

The Indian envoy could be seen leaving the premises in his vehicle, while a lone protestor raised the Khalistani flag outside the Gurdwara.

Indian envoy to the US Taranjit Sandhu had visited the Guru Nanak Darbar in Long Island, New York and joined the local Sangat to celebrate Gurpurab.

"Privileged to join the local Sangat, including from Afghanistan, at Guru Nanak Darbar of Long Island in celebrating Gurpurab- listened to Kirtan, spoke about Guru Nanak's everlasting message of togetherness, unity, and equality, partook langar, and sought blessings for all," Sandhu posted on X (formerly Twitter).

There has been a rise in pro-Khalistani incidents by extremist elements in countries like Canada, the UK, Australia and even the US.

10:14 Delhi is smoking 22 cigarettes a day; AQI 400

Delhi's air quality inched closer to the 'severe' category on Monday morning with calm winds and cloudy conditions trapping pollutants, according to monitoring agencies.

A thick layer of smog blanketed Delhi and its suburbs, reducing visibility to just 600 metres at 8 am at the Safdarjung Observatory, the national capital's primary weather station. The visibility was 800 metres at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.

An official at the India Meteorological Department said a slight increase in wind speed and light rainfall may bring marginal relief during the day.

Unfavourable atmospheric conditions are likely to persist for two to three days, the official said. Delhi's air quality index (AQI) stood at 400 at 9 am.

400 AQI exposure over 24 hours is like smoking 22 cigarettes in a day.

Anil Swarup

10:00 Inside the meetings of Narendra Modi's government

Barkha Dutt speaks to top bureaucrat Anil Swarup in in the podcast 'Inside Out with Barkha Dutt'. Listen to the interview here. Listen in.

Anil Swarup is a former Secretary, Govt. of India and the author of 'Not Just A Civil Servant, Ethical Dilemmas of a Civil Servant', and 'No More A Civil Servant'.

The vertical drilling from the top of the hill made swift progress as 31 metres of work has been completed so far out of the 86 metres needed to reach the 41 trapped workers in the Silkyara tunnel, as per officials.

Now the drilling work is being done to lay an 800/900 mm or 1.2 m diameter pipeline to aid the rescue.

The option to drill vertically was chalked out after the auger machine being used for horizontal drilling of the tunnel broke down.

According to official sources, the American auger machine that was stuck in the debris of the tunnel has been completely cut with a plasma cutter.

The front part of the American Auger machine is stuck in the pipeline. Efforts are underway to remove the debris and the front part of the machine, the officials said.

In the process of cutting and removing the American Auger machine, a 2-metre portion of the last part of the pipeline (i.e. 48 to 50 meters) has also been twisted.

The officials said that cutting and removing the 2-metre portion of the pipeline is also a big challenge.

Further, they added that it is difficult to give an exact time frame when the manual drilling work will start.

As per National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), the drilling work is expected to be completed by November 30. -- ANI

09:33 3 Palestinian students shot in US

Three Palestinian college students were shot in Burlington City, Vermont, US on Saturday evening.

According to information, the students were walking on Prospect Street after visiting a relative in Burlington for the Thanksgiving holiday when "they were confronted by a white man with a handgun."

The victims, two of whom are US citizens and one a legal resident, were taken to the University of Vermont Medical Center for medical care, according to a statement issued by the police on Sunday.

"Two are stable, while one has sustained much more serious injuries," the police said in its release.

"Without speaking, he discharged at least four rounds from the pistol and is believed to have fled on foot," police said.

Notably, two of the students were wearing keffiyehs, traditional Palestinian scarves, they added.

According to CNN, two students sustained injuries to the torso, while the third suffered injuries to the "lower extremities."

Authorities said that "there is no additional information to suggest the suspect's motive."

Moreover, detectives recovered ballistic evidence from the shooting, which will be submitted to a federal database, according to Burlington police.

Two BRO officials were injured after their SUV was hit by a private bus near the Silkyara tunnel site on Sunday afternoon, police said.

The accident occurred just half a kilometre away from the tunnel, where 41 workers have been trapped for 14 days, when three Border Roads Organisation (BRO) officials were on the way to the site in their official vehicle.

An overloaded private bus coming from the opposite side rammed into their vehicle, an official said.

The impact was such that their vehicle was dragged for a few metres before it stopped by the parapet along the hill road. The front portion of the SUV was completely damaged, the official added.

Two BRO officials of the three travelling in the vehicle sustained head injuries in the accident, the official further said.

They were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were discharged after being given stitches.

The matter is being probed, a police officer said. -- PTI

Twenty people have been killed in lightning strikes in different parts of Gujarat during widespread unseasonal rainfall in the state, an official said Monday.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah condoled the deaths due to bad weather and lightning in various cities of Gujarat on Sunday and said the local administration was engaged in relief work.

As per an official of the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC), a total of 20 rain-related deaths have been reported so far from different parts of Gujarat.

All the fatalities were attributed to lightning strikes during unseasonal rainfall which battered the state on Sunday.

Four persons died in Dahod district, three in Bharuch, two in Tapi, and one each in Ahmedabad, Amreli, Banaskantha, Botad, Kheda, Mehsana, Panchmahal, Sabarkantha, Surat, Surendranagar and Devbhumi Dwarka, the SEOC official said.

Union minister Amit Shah in a post on X on Sunday night said, "I am deeply saddened by the news of the death of many people due to bad weather and lightning in various cities of Gujarat. I express my deepest condolences for the irreparable loss to those who lost their loved ones in this tragedy. The local administration is engaged in relief work, praying for the speedy recovery of the injured."

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has said the rain activity is expected to abate on Monday.

As per the SEOC data, as many as 234 out of 252 talukas of Gujarat received rainfall on Sunday, with Surat, Surendranagar, Kheda, Tapi, Bharuch and Amreli districts recording 50-117 mm rainfall in 16 hours, throwing normal life out of gear and causing crop damage. -- PTI

08:56 'Nothing will stop us': Netanyahu visits Gaza

In clear signs of Israeli control over parts of war-ravaged Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu entered the Islamist Hamas-ruled coastal Strip on Sunday to meet Israeli soldiers to boost their morale and vowed to carry on the fight "until the end".

Netanyahu received security briefings from commanders and soldiers and visited one of Hamas' tunnels that has been revealed, an official press statement said.

"We are here in the Gaza Strip with our heroic soldiers. We are making every effort to return our hostages, and in the end, we will return them all. We have three goals in this war: eliminate Hamas, return all of our hostages and ensure that Gaza will not go back to being a threat to the State of Israel," Netanyahu told the soldiers on the ground.

"I am here to tell the soldiers, who all tell me the same thing, and I repeat it to you, citizens of Israel: We are continuing until the end until victory. Nothing will stop us, and we are convinced that we have the force, the strength, the will and the determination to achieve all of our goals for the war, and this is what we will do," he asserted.

"We have three goals for this war: eliminate Hamas, return all our abductees and ensure that Gaza does not become a threat to the State of Israel again," he said.

The Israeli prime minister was accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Tzachi Braverman, National Security Council Director Tzachi Hanegbi, his Military Secretary Maj-Gen Avi Gil, and Israel Defence Forces (IDF) Deputy Chief-of-Staff Maj-Gen Amir Baram.

08:20 Stone pelted at Vande Bharat train in Odisha

Windowpane of an executive class coach of the Rourkela-Bhubaneswar Vande Bharat Express (20835) train was damaged due to stone pelting between Meramandali and Budhapank on the Dhenkanal-Angul railway section in Odisha, officials said on Sunday.

According to officials, the incident was reported by the on-duty RPF escorting staff.

Following the information, the security wing of the East Coast Railway zone (ECoR) alerted the Railway Protection Force (RPF) and the Government Railway Police (GRP). RPF's Assistant Security Commissioner from Cuttack rushed to the spot.

Local police were also been informed about the matter. Strict action will be taken against the stone-palters. Both the security wing of ECoR in coordination with local police are on the job to trace out the culprits, the railways said in a statement.

This is not the first time in the country the Vande Bharat Express train has been targeted.

Similar incidents occurred in other parts of the country. However, no passengers have been harmed in any of the incidents so far. -- ANI

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