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Mon, 16 September 2019
Mumbai Police gear up for Maharashtra polls
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23:42 Mumbai Police gear up for Maharashtra polls
With assembly elections round the corner, Mumbai Police have started gearing up to ensure full-proof security during the exercise.
A process has been initiated to identify anti-social elements, who the police think, can disturb the electoral process. Over 12,900 people have been issued prohibitory notices under various sections of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Bombay Police Act, a police officer said.
According to the officer, over 9,000 people have been served notices under section 107 of CrPC, 2700 people under section 110 of CrPC, and 718 individuals have been issued notices under section 109 of CrPC.
"Over 500 people have been served prohibitory notices and other related orders under section 55, 56 and 57 of the Bombay Police Act," the police officer said.
The police have also issued notices to old offenders under various provisions of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act and Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act.
"We have started the process of asking licensed weapon holders to deposit their weapons to Mumbai Police for the period of the election campaign, polling and counting," Mumbai Police DCP Pranaya Ashok said.
The police will be using anti-drone devices as part of security arrangements at important election events including visits of VIPs, election and counting of votes in the city. "These anti-drone devices are tested on different types of available drones in markets and were found fully effective," Ashok said.
The assembly elections are expected to be held next month.
-- ANI
23:23 Congress should investigate Obama's Netflix deal, says Trump
US President Donald Trump on Monday suggested that former US President Barack Obama should be investigated for getting a production deal with Netflix.
Taking to Twitter, Trump said: "House Judiciary has given up on the Mueller Report, sadly for them after two years and $40,000,000 spent - ZERO COLLUSION, ZERO OBSTRUCTION. So they say, OK, lets look at everything else, and all of the deals that "Trump" has done over his lifetime. But it doesn't work that way."
He continued, "I have a better idea. Look at the Obama Book Deal, or the ridiculous Netflix deal. Then look at all the deals made by the Dems in Congress, the "Congressional Slush Fund," and lastly the IG Reports. Take a look at them. Those investigations would be over FAST!"
After leaving office, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama reportedly signed a book deal as well as a deal with Netflix to produce films and series.
Under the deal between the streaming platform and Higher Ground Productions, the Obamas are set to develop, produce and even lend their voice to a few of the podcasts based on a wide range of topics
Higher Ground's Netflix deal includes a non-fiction series based on author Michael Lewis' book titled 'The Fifth Risk: Undoing Democracy', a look at the transition to Donald Trump's presidency, a film adaptation of author David W Blight's biography 'Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom' and 'Bloom', a period drama set in the post-WWII fashion world, written and executive produced by Callie Khouri.
-- ANI
22:43 Student gives statement in Chinmayanand case
The student who levelled rape charges against BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand recorded her statement before a magistrate here on Monday.
The special investigation team probing the case took her to the court, where her statement was recorded before Judicial Magistrate Geetika Singh, official sources said.
She remained in the court for around four hours and told PTI that the magistrate recorded her in 10 to 12 pages.
"I have told the magistrate about the rape complaint I gave in New Delhi, my missing spectacles and a chip from the hostel room. I also informed about the bedding and liquor bottles, which were removed from the Chinmayanand's room," she said.
Meanwhile, a lesser known organisation, Chhatra Shakti Sangathan, has announced a Rs 50-lakh award to anyone who chops off the tongue of Swami Omji, who on Sunday had equated the woman with a "vish kanya".
Self-styled godman Omji was a contestant in the reality TV Show, Bigg Boss.
Office-bearers of the organisation also burnt an effigy of Omji and made the announcement before the media.
Another organisation, Bhartiya Yuva Parishad, burnt an effigy of Swami Chinmayanand and demanded his arrest.
Swami Chinmayanand'a lawyer Om Singh said a team had been formed for keeping an eye on social media.
He said a complaint would be lodged against those making indecent comments against the BJP leader.
-- PTI
22:16 Deve Gowda says JD-S will face future polls alone
Days after indicating that his party was still open for continuing its alliance with the Congress, JD-S patriarch H D Deve Gowda on Monday spoke about going it alone, as he predicted mid-term polls in Karnataka.
"There are chances of mid-term polls in the state. If they come, let's contest independently without going for an alliance with anyone," Gowda was quoted as saying in a statement by his office.
"Will not still commit that mistake. Let's face all the elections independently," he said.
After engaging in a blame game over the collapse of their coalition government, Gowda on Thursday indicated his party was still open for continuing its alliance with the Congress.
He had hinted that he was open for an alliance with the Congress in 17 assembly constituencies, where bypolls have been necessitated following the disqualification of rebel MLAs, but said it all depended on the decision of the national party's interim president Sonia Gandhi.
Gowda and Congress strongman in the state Siddaramaiah had recently blamed each other for the collapse of the H D Kumaraswamy led coalition government in July after it was rocked by dissidence.
-- PTI
21:44 MP rain may result in Rs 10,000 cr loss
Heavy rainfall and floods in Madhya Pradesh have caused a cumulative loss to crop and properties to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore as per the primary assessment of the situation, chief secretary SR Mohanty said
on Monday.
He said a Central team will assess the damage on September 19-20 in the Bhopal and Ujjain divisions.
Districts of Mandsaur, Neemuch, Ratlam, Agra-Mala, Sheopur, Damoh, Raisen, Ashoknagar, Bhind and Shajapur were affected by heavy rains in the last few days.
On Sunday, around 45,000 people were evacuated from flood-hit areas in various districts to safer places.
"The initial assessment suggests that rainfall and floods have caused crop loss to the tune of Rs 8,000 crore," the top bureaucrat told reporters.
Further, there is damage to the tune of Rs 2000 crore caused to houses, roads, buildings, besides private and government properties, he said, adding that the final figure of the quantum of damage might go up.
Mohanty said the report on the initial assessment will be sent to the Central government for aid. "Disbursement of relief and compensation amount will begin at the earliest," he added.
-- PTI
20:48 Rahul's tweet on Hindi row tags 23 flag emojis
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi put out a tweet today against Home Minister Amit Shah's pitch for having Hindi as a common language across the country.
Stating 23 of the many languages spoken in the country with the national flag emojis following each, the former Congress chief tweeted "India's many languages are not her weakness."
Gandhi joins many other politicians who spoke out against Amit Shah's appeal to make Hindi the national language of India as it is spoken the most. Currently, Hindi and English are the official languages of the centre.
Rahul Gandhi's tweet was liked over 17,000 times.
Earlier, the Congress too had opposed the BJP chief's pitch saying no indication should be given of a rethink on the "three-language formula" as it will create strife and unrest in the country.
The three languages formula is commonly understood to comprise Hindi, English and the regional language of the respective states.
20:31 Mamata likely to meet PM on Wednesday
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Wednesday and her efforts to reach out to the PM invited a dig from the BJP which saw it as "a classic example of opportunistic politics".
Banerjee will be leaving for New Delhi on Tuesday for a likely meeting with the PM on Wednesday, state secretariat sources said on Monday.
The two leaders are likely to hold discussions on administrative issues of West Bengal at the meeting, they said.
"An appointment was sought by the chief minister's office last week from Modi's office for the meeting. It will take place in New Delhi on Wednesday," an official said.
The proposed meeting between the two leaders has heated up the political scenario in West Bengal as Banerjee has been one of the harshest critics of the BJP and Modi. She did not attend Modi's swearing-in in May when he took over charge for the second time and stayed away from the Niti Aayog meeting in June.
The last time Banerjee and Modi met was at the Visva Bharati University convocation at Shantiniketan on May 25, 2018.
The opposition CPI-M and Congress in the state too took a jibe at the proposed meeting calling it a "part of the political match-fixing" of BJP and TMC in Bengal.
The expected meeting assumes significance as it will be held at a time when several leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress and former Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar are under the CBI scanner in connection with the Saradha ponzi scheme scam.
-- PTI
20:16 PM to visit Narmada dam on birthday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who turns 69 on Tuesday, will visit the site of the Gujarat's Sardar Sarovar Dam on the Narmada river whose water level has reached its highest mark for the first time to celebrate the feat and kick off "Namami Narmade" festival.
For the first time since the height of the dam was raised in 2017, the water level reached its highest peak at 138.68 metres on Sunday evening.
The prime minister will land at Ahmedabad airport on Monday night. He will visit the dam site at Kevadiya in Narmada district on his 69th birthday on Tuesday morning to attend the "Namami Narmade Mahotsava" to celebrate the water level milestone, according to a state government release issued on Monday.
Before leaving for Kevadiya on early Tuesday morning from Gandhinagar, the PM would visit his nonagenarian mother, Hiraba, in Raisan village near the state capital to seek her blessings, said an official.
20:11 AgustaWestland case: Ratul Puri's ED custody extended by 3 days by Delhi court
A Delhi court on Monday extended by three days the Enforcement Directorate custody of Ratul Puri, the nephew of Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, in a money-laundering case related to the AgustaWestland chopper scam.
Special Judge Arvind Kumar allowed the ED to quiz Puri for three more days after the agency made a request in this regard.
Seeking his further remand, the ED stated that during a recent search at Puri's office, it got incriminating documents that provided crucial leads in the case.
"Certain people linked to the case need to be confronted with him. From September 7 to 14, we have recovered voluminous documents from searches, which are very necessary to be confronted with Puri," the agency said.
Advocate Vijay Agarwal, appearing for Puri, opposed the ED application for further remand, stating that every time the agency brought some documents to seek remand of the accused and that he had already spent many days in its custody.
Puri was arrested by the ED on September 4 and his custody was supposed to end on Monday.
The money-laundering case was lodged following alleged irregularities in the purchase of 12 VVIP choppers from Italy-based Finmeccanica's British subsidiary, AgustaWestland.
-- PTI
19:33 DMK to protest on Sept 20 against Hindi push
Upping the ante against "Hindi imposition," a high-level DMK meet on Monday announced protest demonstrations across Tamil Nadu on September 20 to condemn Home Minister Amit Shah's Hindi pitch.
The agitation was to nip in the bud the "adverse effects" of "Hindi imposition on "mother Tamil" and the mother tongues of people of other (non-Hindi speaking) states," a resolution adopted at the meet said.
Briefing reporters, DMK chief M K Stalin said the agitation was the first phase of protest on Hindi issue and the further course of action will be decided on the basis of Central government's response and consultations with like-minded parties.
-- PTI
19:19 Barkha Dutt asks why Dr Farooq Abdullah should be imprisoned under Public Safety Act
Veteran journalist Barkha Dutt asks why Dr Farooq Abdullah should be imprisoned under the draconian Public Safety Act.
The former Jammu-Kashmir chief minister has now been booked under a provision of the stringent Public Safety Act which allows authorities to detain an individual for six months without trial, official sources said on Monday.
The tough law against the 81-year-old patron of the National Conference, confined to his home since the government revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status, was imposed on Sunday, the sources said.
Watch the full video HERE
19:03 Abdullah arrested under law enacted by father
Never would Sheikh Abdullah have imagined that his son Farooq would one day be arrested under the Public Safety Act which he, as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir in 1978, enacted to fight timber smugglers in the state.
The stringent PSA was introduced in Jammu and Kashmir to tackle timber smuggling as those involved in the crime at that time would easily get away with minimal detention, officials said on Monday.
Sheikh Abdullah brought the Act as a deterrent against timber smugglers as it provided a jail term, without a trial, for up to two years.
However, this Act came in handy for the police and security forces during the early 1990s when militancy erupted in the state, the officials said.
After the then Union home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed enforced the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act in the state in 1990, the PSA was used rampantly for picking up people in the state.
On Monday though, the four-decade old act was used by the police to detain Sheikh Abdullah's son Farooq, himself a three-term chief minister and five-time parliamentarian.
Detention under the PSA is subject to periodic review by an official screening committee and can be challenged in high court.
The Act was amended in 2012 and some of its stricter provisions were relaxed. After the amendment, period up to which a first-time offender or individual can be put in detention without trial was reduced from two years to six months.
However, a provision has been kept in the Act to extend the detention, if necessary, to up to two years, they said.
Sheikh Abdullah's grandson, Omar Abdullah, who has also served the state as a chief minister, had promised during the Lok Sabha elections that if his government comes to power in the state, it would press for abolition of the PSA. -- PTI
19:00 Shah lied in Parliament over Abdullah's detention: CPI-M
Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Mohammed Salim accused Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday of lying on the floor of Parliament over the issue of National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah's detention in Kashmir in the wake of abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.
In a tweet, the Left leader attached a video grab of Shah in Parliament last month, in which the home minister said Abdullah was neither detained nor arrested.
On Sunday night, the ministry of home affairs detained the 81-year-old patron of the NC under the stringent Public Safety Act.
Abdullah, a former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, was under house arrest since August 5, when the Centre announced abrogation of the special status given to the state under Article 370 and its bifurcation into Union territories.
"Amit Shah lied on the floor of the parliament claiming that Farooq Abdullah didn't come to Lok Sabha on his own will but today we all know that Mr Abdullah had been under detention since 4 August, under the draconian PSA. Does India's Home Minister has any credibility today?", Salim tweeted. -- PTI
18:30 Saudi assures India of no oil supply shortage: Oil Min
India, the world's third-largest oil consumer, will not face any supply disruption after a reduction in production at its No. 2 supplier Saudi Arabia, oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Monday.
"Following the attacks on the oil stablization centres of @Saudi_Aramco, top executives of Aramco have been contacted," he tweeted. "We have reviewed our overall crude oil supplies for the month of September with our OMCs. We are confident there would be no supply disruption to India. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation."
OMCs are oil marketing companies.
A massive drone strike on the world's largest crude-processing facility operated by Saudi Arabia's Aramco has driven oil prices to their highest level in nearly four months.
The attack has knocked out over half of Saudi Arabia's production as it cut 5.7 million barrels per day or over 5 per cent of the world's supply.
India imports 83 per cent of its oil needs.
Saudi Arabia is its second-biggest supplier after Iraq.
It sold 40.33 million tonnes of crude oil to India in 2018-19 fiscal, when the country had imported 207.3 million tonnes of oil.
Oil prices surged the most on record on Monday, with Brent crude rising by as much as 19.5 per cent to $71.95 per barrel, the biggest gain in dollar terms since futures started trading in 1988.
US West Texas Intermediate futures climbed 15.5 per cent to $63.34, the biggest intra-day percentage gain since June 1998.
Earlier in the day, the oil ministry in a statement said: "Yesterday (September 15), Saudi Aramco officials informed the Indian refiners that there would be no shortage of supplies to them. Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is closely monitoring the situation in consultation with Indian refiners and Saudi Aramco."
Officials at state-owned oil refiners said Saudi Aramco has informed that there would not be any major disruption, but has sought flexibility for switching to different grades for continuing supplies.
Wood Mackenzie VP for Refining, Chemicals an Oil Markets, Alan Gelder said, "This attack has material implications for the oil market, as a loss of 5 million barrels per day of supplies from Saudi Arabia cannot be met for long by existing inventories and the limited spare capacity of the other OPEC+ group members. A geopolitical risk premium will return to the oil price."
Commenting on the situation, Kotak Institutional Equities said the largest-ever disruption of crude production in Saudi Arabia may keep oil prices elevated in the near term.
"Global oil supplies may be adequately met through large inventories and strategic reserves; however, moderation in oil prices will depend on full restoration of Saudi's production, which may at least take a few weeks," it said, adding that any further escalation of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East region may add to the woes. -- PTI
18:26 Won't compromise Kannada's importance: K'taka CM
As the row over prominence to Hindi set off by home minister Amit Shah's comments on Hindi Diwas show no signs of abating, Karnataka chief minister BS Yediyurappa asserted that his government would never compromise with the importance of Kannada.
"All official languages in our country are equal. However, as far as Karnataka is concerned, #Kannada is the principal language. We will never compromise its importance and are committed to promote Kannada and our state's culture," Yediyurappa tweeted.
Yediyurappa's tweet came after opposition leaders kept up their attacks on the BJP over Amit Shah's description of Hindi as a language that holds the potential to unify the country.
Leaders from some non-Hindi speaking states had interpreted Amit Shah's statement to be a precursor to the Centre imposing Hindi on them.
18:11 Kartarpur corridor to be opened on Nov 9: Pak official
Pakistan on Monday announced that the much-awaited Kartarpur corridor will be opened for Indian Sikh pilgrims on November 9.
The announcement was made during the maiden visit of local and foreign journalists to the proposed Kartarpur corridor in Narowal, some 125 km from Lahore, amidst fresh tension between India and Pakistan after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status.
Project Director Atif Majid told the visiting journalists that so far 86 per cent of the work on the corridor has been completed and it will be opened on November 9.
Majid said the development work will be completed by next month.
The corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district of Punjab and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims, who will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib, which was established in 1522 by Sikh faith founder Guru Nanak Dev.
Pakistan is building the corridor from the Indian border to the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur while the other part from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur district up to the border will be constructed by India.
Both countries have agreed that Pakistan would allow 5,000 Sikh visitors per day into the country through the corridor, which will also be the first visa-free corridor between the two neighbours since their independence in 1947.
Project Director Majid said some 76 immigration counters have been set up to cater to 5,000 Sikh pilgrims from India every day. And for 10,000 pilgrims visiting here daily, 152 immigration counters will be set up. He said that initially 5,000 Sikhs from India will come daily and later the number will rise to 10,000.
Tension between India and Pakistan has escalated after New Delhi revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status. Reacting to India's move on Kashmir, Pakistan downgraded diplomatic ties with New Delhi and expelled the Indian High Commissioner.
Pakistan, however, repeatedly said that the opening of the Kartarpur corridor will not be hit by the current tension with India. -- PTI
17:48 RSS-backed varsity to teach Vedic curriculum
Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS)-affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad's first University, christened as Ashok Singhal Ved Vigyan Evam Praudyogikee Vishwavidyalaya, will begin operations from its Gurugram campus next academic year.
The institution would aim to draw heavily from the ancient Vedic method of teaching, people associated with the institution have said.Apart from a confluence of modern and Vedic curriculum, the university also aims to recreate Vedic era ambience of teaching.
To recreate the Vedic ambience some of the classes will be conducted under the trees to give the feel of the Vedic era.
"The campus will also resonate with Vedic hymns. Upanishads and extracts of 'Gita' shall be broadcast throughout the campus morning and evening through public address system," stated a senior functionary in the know of the things.
17:41 Sensex, Nifty slip as crude oil surges after Saudi attacks
Indian equity benchmarks slipped on Monday due to panic sell-offs by investors who were caught off guard by soaring crude prices after drone attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil facilities. Marking its worst fall in over two weeks, the BSE gauge Sensex settled 262 points, or 0.70 per cent, lower at 37,123.31.
The 30-share index plunged about 356 points in intra-day trade. Likewise, the broader NSE Nifty closed 79.80 points, or 0.72 per cent, down at 10,996.10.
Fresh geopolitical tensions in the Arabian peninsula diverted investors' attention from the struggling Indian economy for which the Indian government came out with another set of relief measures, including for the housing and exports sectors, over the weekend.
17:18 How many jobs given to N Indians, asks Priyanka
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Monday hit out at Union Labour Minister Santosh Kumar Gangwar over his "dearth of quality people" remark, asking him for figures of how many jobs have been given to north Indians in the last five years.
The Congress general secretary also posted a video of Gangwar making the remarks in front of reporters on Saturday in Bareilly, his Lok Sabha constituency. Gangwar had said there was no dearth of employment opportunities in the country, but recruiters visiting north India complain of lack of "quality people" to fill vacancies, drawing flak from opposition leaders who accused him of insulting people of the region.
"Mr Minister, you have said such a big thing, so please also give the figures now. How many jobs you have given in the last five years and 100 days? How many jobs you have given to north Indians in the last five years? How many jobs were given under the skill India programme?" Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. "Do remember that figures of job losses are with the people," she added. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had on Sunday accused Gangwar of insulting north Indians by saying that recruiters complain of paucity of "quality people" in this part of the country for the posts they wish to fill.
"Mr Minister, it has been more than five years of your government. There is no job creation. Whatever jobs were there, they have been snatched due to the economic slowdown brought by the government. You want to escape by insulting north Indians," the Congress leader had said. The youth are looking towards the government, hoping that it will do something good for them, she had said. -- PTI
17:07 Raft collapse: 1 tourist dead, 8 injured
One tourist died and eight others were injured after a raft carrying nine tourists from Kerala overturned in the Beas River near Jhiri area of Kullu district: Gaurav Singh, Superintendent of Police, Kullu
16:53 Cong, NCP to contest 125 seats each in Assembly polls: Pawar
The Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress will contest 125 seats each in next month's Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election, NCP chief Sharad Pawar said on Monday. Pawar announced that the seat-sharing pact between the grand old party and his 20-year-old organisation has been finalised.
As per the arrangement, 38 seats will be left for allies to contest, he tweeted. Maharashtra Assembly has 288 seats. NCP will give chance to "new faces" in the polls, Pawar said. Some seats will be exchanged with the Congress, he added.
In 2014, the two parties had contested the state elections separately. NCP had then ended the 15-year alliance after the two parties had been unable to reach a seat-sharing arrangement ahead of Assembly elections. Congress had won 42 seats while the NCP had won 41 seats in 2014 polls. The BJP had emerged as the single-largest party in the state with 122 seats. -- PTI
16:45 Teens tortured in lock-ups, no normalcy in J-K: Owaisi
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday said that contrary to the Centre's claim, there is no normalcy in Kashmir and teen-aged children are detained and tortured in police lockups."14-year-old children are being arrested. They are beaten up for two-three days inside the lock-up and then handed over to their parents by the Inspector. There is no implementation of Juvenile Justice Act there and juvenile centre having a capacity to accommodate 100 children are overcrowded with 500," he said talking to media persons here.
"Why does a former Chief Minister (Ghulam Nabi Azad) of Jammu and Kashmir need to seek permission from Supreme Court to travel to Jammu and Kashmir? It shows that there is no normalcy in Kashmir. If the government claims that everything is normal then why can't politics be done," he said. -- ANI
Image: Vehicles stopped at Gupkar Road in Srinagar which has residences of former CMs -- Mehbooba Mufti and the Abdullahs. Pic: Umar Ganie
16:07 Godavari boat tragedy: Indian Navy helicopter finds no bodies or debris
An Indian Navy helicopter on Monday completed a search mission and found no survivors or bodies in the aftermath of the Godavari boat tragedy. Even the debris of the boat was not sighted, the Navy said."A UH 3H helicopter took off from Rajmundary Airport at 7.30 am.
It carried out multiple searches from the accident site at Devipatnam to Pollavaram for 3 hours and 15 minutes. No survivors or bodies were sighted as well as no debris of the boat was sighted. UH-3H landed back at 1100 hrs," the Indian Navy said.
In a major tragedy, 11 people died on Sunday afternoon when a tourist boat carrying 61 persons on board capsized in the Godavari River near Devipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, the State Disaster Management Authority said.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy has announced Rs 10 lakh ex-gratia for the bereaved families.Reddy had directed National Disaster Response Force, Navy and ONGC helicopters to carry out the rescue operations on war-footing. -- ANI
Image: A collage of the relief work being conducted in the wake of the boat tragedy in the Godavari river. Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy conducted an aerial survey today. Pic: SNAPSINDIA.
15:54 Iranian foreign minister's concern over Kashmir
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif expressed concern about the conditions in Kashmir at a meeting with India's Foreign Secretary Vijay Keshav Gokhale.
Gokhale had travelled to Tehran for meetings with the Iranian foreign ministry. Zarif expressed concern about the condition of Kashmiris and hoped for an improvement in the situation in the state.
"We have good relations with the Government of India, but the Indian government is expected to adopt a fair policy towards the noble people of Kashmir, so that this region's Muslim people would not be oppressed," Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had stated earlier on August 21.
15:46 Cong condemns Farooq's detention under PSA
The Congress on Monday strongly condemned former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah's detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA), saying it is the country's "misfortune" that the leaders who fought for its unity and integrity have been put behind bars.
Congress' reaction came as sources said on Monday that Abdullah has now been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act, which enables authorities to detain any individual for two years without trial.
The 81-year-old patron of the National Conference has been under house arrest since August 5 when the Centre announced abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into Union territories.
The stringent law was slapped on Abdullah on Sunday. Reacting to the development, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and Leader of Opposition in the House Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "I strongly condemn it. It is most unfortunate that a (former) chief minister of one of the oldest political parties in Kashmir (has been detained).
"Each chief minister, and each political party be it Congress, National Conference and Peoples Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir have tried their level best to fight militancy. If there is no militancy today, it is because of these political parties and not the BJP," he told reporters.
If the leaders who fought against militancy and for the unity and integrity of the country are put behind bars under the PSA, it is "misfortune" of the country, he said. -- PTI
15:34 PMO defines work areas for PK Mishra, Doval and Sinha
Days after PK Mishra and PK Sinha were appointed as Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Principal Secretary and Principal Advisor respectively, the Prime Minister's Office has defined the work areas for the two officers, and also for National Security Advisor Ajit Doval.
According to an order issued by the PMO, Principal Secretary Mishra will look into policy issues and matters relating to ministries of Personnel, Law, Appointments Committee of Cabinet and other appointments.
He will also look into issues related to the Cabinet Secretariat, listing of items for the meeting of the Union Cabinet, anti-corruption unit, PMO's establishment and all important policy issues and matters, according to the order.
NSA Doval will look into all matters relating to national security and policy matters -- except appointments. He will also oversee policy matters relating to ministries of External Affairs, Overseas Indians Affairs, Defence, Space, Atomic Energy and the country's external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing. He will also be in charge of all policies and matters relating to National Security Council Secretariat and the National Authority for Chemical Weapons.
Doval has also been allocated the issue of talks with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland separatists. On the other hand, PM's Principal Advisor P K Sinha will oversee policy issues and matters relating to all ministries/departments/agencies/bodies except those specifically allocated to the Principal Secretary and the NSA, the order issued on September 13 said.
Mishra was the prime minister's additional principal secretary and was last week elevated as his Principal Secretary after Nripendra Misra stepped down. Sinha is a former Cabinet Secretary and was last month appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the PMO before being made Modi's Principal Advisor. -- PTI
File pic: Incumbent Principal Secretary P K Misra, National Security Adviser Ajit Kumar Doval and former Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi
15:14 Indian delegation to visit USA ahead of PM Modi's UNGA address
An Indian delegation, comprising of Congress, BJP leaders and others, is set to visit United States ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address at United Nations General Assembly.
Prime Minister's address to the UN General Assembly will mark his six-day visit to the country, which begins on September 22.
The delegation, comprising of BJP lawmaker Rajiv Pratap Singh Rudy, Shiv Sena's Priyanka Chaturvedi and Congress leaders Jaiveer Shergill and Manish Tewari, journalists and foreign policy experts, will visit Washington DC and New York.
They will participate in discussions in Washington, hosted by Observer Research Foundation and Heritage Foundation, on topics ranging from Indo-US relationship and the impact of US-Afghan rumblings on South Asia peace and stability.
This visit holds importance in light of the recent developments relating to the suspension of US-Taliban talks.The visit to Washington will include interaction with industry leaders, keeping in view the ongoing trade challenges clouding the Indo-US relationships.Apart from Washington DC, Jaiveer Shergill will be speaking at the University of Colombia on the 'impact of technology on democracy'.
Notably, this year the Prime Minister will address the UNGA for the second time, his first being in September 2014 after he came to power for the first time. -- ANI
15:02 Kashmir: Place with no news even about ourselves
Life in the time of lockdown: When little else works, poetry might, writes Murtaza Shibli in Anantnag for the Telegraph. Read the column here.
14:59 K'taka minister compares Congress MLAs to eunuchs
Karnataka Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj KS Eshwarappa has stirred a hornet's nest by comparing Congress state legislators to the members of the transgender community.
"Before our government came to power, a few Congress MLAs showed their interest in joining the BJP. But, they were afraid of losing the elections, as 50,000 Muslims would not vote for them. This is a kind of 'Hijada' (eunuch) behavior," said Eshwarappa while addressing a public meeting on Sunday.
The minister further added that he never "pleased" the community or "wished them" and still managed to win the votes. Eshwarappa made another controversial statement and said that only "patriot Muslims" will vote in the favour of BJP and those against patriotism, traitors and siding with Pakistan, will hesitate.
This is not the first time the minister has stirred a controversy, he had earlier said that the BJP will not give tickets to Muslims if they do not "believe" in the party. -- ANI
14:50 The birthday boys of September
Belated birthday greetings to Dr Subramanian Swamy who turned 8-0 on Sunday. With his jet black hair and unlined face (what's the secret, Doc?), few can believe that the maverick economist-politician is now an o-c-t-o-g-e-n-a-r-i-an...
Celebrating his 74th birthday today in the unlikely venue of Tihar Jail is Dr Swamy's old bete noire, P Chidambaram.
Neither gentleman will, of course, have the kind of birthday celebrations that Tuesday's birthday boy will have, with every BJP satrap in the Republic of Hindutva vying to mark the Pradhan Sevak's 69th birthday.
Image: The PM had celebrated his birthday in his constituency, Varanasi, last year.
14:42 Farooq Abdullah detained under stringent PSA
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has now been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act, which enables authorities to detain any individual for two years without trial, sources said on Monday.
The 81-year-old patron of the National Conference has been under house arrest since August 5 when the Centre announced abrogation of the special status given to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 and bifurcation of the state into Union territories.
Abdullah has been detained under the PSA, official sources said. The tougher law was slapped on Abdullah on Sunday. On Monday, the Supreme Court has asked the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration to respond to a plea seeking that the former chief minister be produced before a court.
The petition was filed by Tamil Nadu's MDMK leader Vaiko, seeking Abdullah's release so he could attend an event in Chennai. Vaiko is said to be a close friend of Abdullah for four decades. Abdullah's son and former chief minister Omar Abdullah and another former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti are also under detention since August 5. PTI
14:35 SC allows CPI (M) leader Tarigami to go back to J&K
The Supreme Court allowed CPI (M) leader Mohd Yusuf Tarigami to go back to his home state Jammu and Kashmir. A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices S A Bobde and SA Nazeer said the former MLA does not need any permission to go home if doctors at AIIMS allow him.
The former MLA alleged that his vehicle has been taken away and he will be confined to his home. The ailing leader was on September 9 shifted to AIIMS following the apex court order.
The top court had said Tarigami should be shifted "at the earliest" to "the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi, from Srinagar, where he was under house arrest".
He was put under house arrest on August 5 after the Centre abrogated special status to Jammu and Kashmir under the Constitution. The top court had earlier allowed CPI (M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury to visit Jammu and Kashmir to meet his ailing party colleague and file an affidavit on his health condition.
Besides mentioning Tarigami's health condition in the affidavit, Yechury had also referred to other issues that have arisen in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
-- PTI
14:32 Noted surgeon, cabbie killed in accident on Expressway
A prominent Pune-based surgeon and his cab driver were killed and two other doctors injured when a bus hit them on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway near in Maharashtra, police said on Monday.
The mishap took place near Somatane village around 10.30 pm on Sunday when Dr Ketan Khurjekar (44), a spine expert, and two other orthopedic surgeons were on way to Pune from Mumbai in a cab, Talegaon Dabhade police station's inspector Kishor Mhasawade said. When the cab reached Somatane village, the driver stopped the vehicle on a roadside to replace one of its punctured tyre. After all of them came out of the vehicle, Khurjekar went to help the driver.
While the cab driver was changing the tyre, a private bus coming on that side hit all of them from behind, the official said. Khurjekar and the cab driver, Dnyaneshwar Bhosale (27), died on the spot, he said. The other two doctors received injuries and were admitted to Sancheti Hospital for treatment, he added. Khurjekar, a gold medalist, was head of the department for spine surgery at the Sancheti Hospital. He had performed around 3,500 complicated surgeries. -- PTI
14:27 Current slowdown cannot be tackled by monetary policy alone: SBI report
The country's largest lender State Bank of India said on Monday the contemporary issue for macroeconomists is to exclusively focus on assuring adequate aggregate demand as the current slowdown cannot be tackled by monetary policy in isolation.
"We believe the monetary policy could only act to some extent," it said in a report authored by Group Chief Economic Adviser Soumya Kanti Ghosh.
"Experience shows and we have been in an era of low interest rates for a decade. But that has done little to boost aggregate demand. Rather fiscal policy needs to be a major focus now, especially given what low or negative interest rates mean for the sustainability of deficits," he wrote.
Interestingly, total financial liabilities of Indian households have jumped by a massive 58 per cent in 2017-18 to Rs 7.4 lakh crore after 22 per cent jump in 2016-17. -- ANI
14:13 CBI at WB secretariat
CBI officials on Monday went to the state secretariat and delivered letters for the chief secretary and home secretary in connection with former city police commissioner Rajeev Kumar not appearing before the agency for the ongoing probe into the Saradha scam.
Two officers of the CBI reached the state secretariat around 10.40 am and delivered the letters one for Chief Secretary Malay De and another for Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay.
The CBI, in the letters, sought to know the whereabouts of the police officer and the grounds on which he had gone on a month-long leave, a senior official at the state secretariat told PTI.
The agency also sought to know when Kumar would be joining duty, the official said. The orders of the Calcutta High Court withdrawing protection against arrest to Kumar were also attached with the letters. The CBI had served a fresh notice to Kumar on Friday asking him to appear before it on the following day. -- PTI
14:05 Krishna cult rumors dog Tulsi Gabbard
The award-winning Honolulu Civil Beat has been probing Tulsi Gabbard's ties to an obscure Web design and Internet marketing firm in Washington state. Gabbard is the first Hindu member of the United States House of Representatives, someone who was sworn in on the Bhagvad Gita.
The Beat wanted to know why Gabbard's US presidential campaign is ploughing hundreds of thousands of dollars into Northwest Digital, which has only a PO box address.
Gabbard and Kris Robinson, Northwest's owner, the Beat discovered, were members of the Science of Identity Foundation, which Chris Butler, aka Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsaa, set up in Hawaii after he broke away from ISKCON.
13:40 Former AP Speaker found hanging at home
Former Andhra Pradesh Speaker, Kodela Siva Prasada Rao was found hanging at his residence in Hyderabad. Rao, 72, was one of the senior-most leaders of the opposition Telugu Desam Party in the state. He was taken to Basavatarakam Hospital where doctors confirmed his death.
Rao was in the news recently over shifting of some furniture from the AP Assembly in Hyderabad allegedly to his offices in Guntur and Sattenapalli. Rao, his son, and daughter were also charged with cheating and intimidation, and cases had been filed against them.
Image courtesy: Kodela Siva Prasada Rao's Facebook page
13:04 India's global prestige grew under PM: Kohli
BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli on Monday said that US President Donald Trump confirming his participation in the 'Howdy Modi!' event in Houston is recognition of the fact that India's global prestige has increased under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"This indeed is a very important development that President Donald Trump will be participating and meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Howdy Modi event in Texas in Houston. Most of important of all it is recognition of testimony to the fact that India's global prestige has expanded enormously, under the Modiji's leadership,' said Kohli.
He further said that the event will be attended by approximately 50,000 people, which is to be held at the NRG Stadium in Houston and is being hosted by the Texas India Forum.
"This not only reflects the strengthening of the two leaders and the two countries but simultaneously recognition of the contribution of Indo-American community towards the growth of America and building the bridges between the two countries,' he added.
Trump's presence was confirmed by the White House yesterday, in a statement that read, "On Sunday, September 22, 2019, President Donald J Trump will travel to Houston, Texas, and Wapakoneta, Ohio, to underscore the important partnerships between the United States and India, and Australia.
In Houston, President Trump will participate in an event with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India."The 'Howdy Modi!' summit, with the theme of "Shared Dreams, Bright Futures" will highlight the contributions of Indian-Americans in enriching the American life for the last seven decades as well as the key role they have played in strengthening relations between the two nations. -- ANI
Image: PM Modi at the Madison Square Garden event in 2014.
12:50
Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Satya Pal Malik called on PM Narendra Modi today.
12:27 Decision on seat sharing with Shiv Sena soon: Fadnavis
Ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that talks are going on with Shiv Sena regarding seat-sharing and a decision will be taken soon.
"Talks are going on, we will soon take a decision regarding seat-sharing," Fadnavis said while talking to media regarding his Maha Janadesh Yatra in Karad, Satara district. During the event, Fadnavis said that several Congress leaders supported the central government's decision to abrogate Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, while others have opposed it.
"I want to ask Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan whether he supports this decision or he is against it," he questioned.Targeting NCP chief Sharad Pawar over his recent statement allegedly praising Pakistan, Fadnavis said, "Sharad Pawar is a senior leader. While giving a statement, he should think about whether it will benefit Pakistan or India."
He added that such statements were made to take benefit in Assembly elections. -- ANI
12:15 Birthday greetings make me feel 74 years young, says Chidambaram
Greetings from his family, friends and colleagues made him feel "74 years young", Congress leader P Chidambaram, in Tihar Jail on charges of corruption in the INX Media case, said through his family on his birthday on Monday. He thanked everybody and said his spirits had lifted higher. "I have asked my family to tweet on my behalf the following: "My family have brought me greetings from friends, party colleagues and well-wishers. I am reminded that I am 74 years old. Indeed I am, but at heart I feel 74 years young. Thank you all, my spirits have been lifted higher," he said on Twitter.
Chidambaram is in judicial custody in connection with alleged corruption in clearances given to INX Media when he was finance minister. His party colleague Jairam Ramesh said Chidambaram is going through an "agnipariksha" and will come out of it vindicated. "Today PC turns 74. It is an agnipariksha he is going through but he will come out of it vindicated. I have worked very closely with him since 1986 and it has been a great privilege and education doing so. My thoughts are with him," he tweeted. -- PTI
11:57 CJI Gogoi to visit Srinagar to assess situation
Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi has announced that he will be visiting Srinagar to meet the J-K High Court Chief Justice to find out how difficult it is for people to access the courts, which has been one of the petitions put before the SC today. "It is serious if people cannot approach the HC," the CJI said and added that he would visit Srinagar himself to assess the veracity of the plea.
The Supreme Court on Monday also allowed Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to visit four districts in Kashmir. He had been denied permission earlier. Azad will be allowed to visit Baramulla, Anantnag, Sringar, and Jammu. He will escorted by security agencies and has been forbidden to hold any political rally. The court has asked him to file a report after his visit.
11:44 SC asks Centre to restore normalcy in Kashmir
The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to make all endeavours to restore normalcy in Kashmir as soon as possible. A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer said as the so-called shutdown is in the valley itself, then it can be dealt by the Jammu and Kasmir High Court. The bench was told by the Centre that all Kashmir-based newspapers were running and the government had been offering all kinds of assistance. It also said that TV channels like Doordarshan and others private ones along with FM networks are working in the state. The bench asked Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, to put details of these steps taken on an affidavit.
SC says restoration of normalcy will be on selective basis keeping in mind national interests and calls for normal life to be restored to ensure people have access to welfare facilities, The court called for school and colleges to function.
The Centre told the SC that restrictions have been lifted in over 88 per cent police stations in the Kashmir division. The Centre also told the apex court that not a single bullet has been fired while localised restrictions were in place.
11:33 Spotted at the Oval
Spotted at the Oval on Sunday afternoon watching the fifth Ashes Test, in Mike Brearley's company, Ramchandra Guha.
Interestingly, Mike Atherton, the Cambridge-educated former England opener and captain, who was on air at the moment the camera focused on Ram and Brears, identified 'Ram Guha', but not the most cerebral man to captain England sitting alongside the celebrated Indian historian.
11:27 SC notice to Centre, J&K on plea for producing Farooq Abdullah
The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a plea seeking to produce before court former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who is allegedly under detention following the scrapping of the state's special status.
A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer issued notice to the Centre and the state, and fixed Rajya Sabha MP and MDMK leader Vaiko's plea for hearing on September 30.
Vaiko, who said he is a close friend of Abdullah for the past four decades, has contended that constitutional rights conferred on the National Conference leader had been deprived of on account of "illegal detention without any authority of law". -- PTI
11:08 56' can't stop Chidambaram: Karti's dig at PM
P Chidambaram, currently in jail, turned 74 on Monday and his son Karti Chidambaram penned a letter to the former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader apprising him of current affairs while taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government stating that "no 56" can stop" him.
"You are turning 74 today and no 56!!! can stop you. Although you have never been one for grand celebrations, and nowadays in the country, we seem to be making grand celebrations out of every little thing; your birthday is not the same without you with us. We miss you, your absence tugs at our hearts, and we wish you were back home to cut a cake with all of us," Karti wrote on Twitter.
He added, "I am glad I got to see you and know that your spirits are high despite everything."Karti also went on to highlight various topics in the news.
While talking about Chandrayaan-2, he said, "We were fortunate enough to be watching the event LIVE with a great sense of pride, and there was much drama. No, not the drama of the lander losing communication, but the big drama a little after that."ISRO Chief Dr Sivan, our fellow Tamilian from Kanyakumari, was visibly upset, and the Prime Minister was at hand to offer his arms and comfort him with his iconic head grab. I sincerely hope our Prime Minister pegs the achievements of our ISRO scientists a little above what his Bhakts believe - that India's Space Programme, along with plastic surgery and aviation was created thousands of years ago ... and not by ISRO" Karti wrote.
While talking about Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who earlier said that one should not be concerned with GDP maths as maths never helped Einstein discover gravity, Karti said, "Piyush Goyal even snatched the theory of Gravity away from Newton and pooh-poohed Einstein. But I must say it must be rather relatively easy for Bhakts to get confused between the two.
"He also talked about Union Minister Prakash Javadekar's press conference on 100 days of Modi government."Celebrating how wonderfully the GDP is at a 6-year low of 5 per cent as you defiantly pointed out; What an achievement that auto sales have fallen for the 10th month in a row; And of course patting themselves on the back for the Sensex crashing to its biggest fall in 2019 earlier this week. I'm sure you would have greatly appreciated your successor twice removed Nirmala Sitharaman's astute insight that the economic slowdown has been principally caused by the millennial's preference for ride-sharing apps," he wrote. -- ANI
10:42 Amit Shah holds high-level meet with Doval
A high-level meeting is underway at Ministry of Home Affairs. Home Minister Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Home Secretary AK Bhalla and Intelligence officials present in the meeting. Details awaited.
Yesterday, BJP working president JP Nadda on Sunday said that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held only after the delimitation of the constituencies.
"Jammu and Kashmir has been given the status of a Union Territory but it will also have a legislature. Elections will be held. But before that, there will be delimitation of constituencies. Scheduled Tribes seats will also be reserved for Gujjars and Bakarwals," said Nadda. The BJP working president made this statement while addressing a public gathering in Thane, Maharashtra.
He said Article 370 was the mistake of the first Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru. "Pakistan tried to raise the issue in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) but diplomats of over 100 countries supported India's stand that Jammu and Kashmir is an internal issue of the country and will remain so," Nadda added.
Last month, the Centre nullified the provision of Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories -- Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
10:12 Jharkhand latest BJP-ruled state to give relief in traffic fines
The Jharkhand government has given a three-month breather to its people from the steep fines imposed under the amended Motor Vehicles Act, and said old penalties would be applicable for traffic rule violations till December.
The government has asked officials of the transport and traffic departments to raise awareness on the amended rules during this period, an official statement said in Ranchi on Saturday.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das, during a review meeting on Friday, directed the transport department to open facilitation centres across the state to enable people get their documents in order in the next three months, it said.
Das also urged people to abide by the traffic rules and refrain from rash driving, the statement added.
Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Gujarat slashed traffic fines under new MV Act. -- with inputs from PTI
The government has asked officials of the transport and traffic departments to raise awareness on the amended rules during this period, an official statement said in Ranchi on Saturday.
Chief Minister Raghubar Das, during a review meeting on Friday, directed the transport department to open facilitation centres across the state to enable people get their documents in order in the next three months, it said.
Das also urged people to abide by the traffic rules and refrain from rash driving, the statement added.
Earlier, Bharatiya Janata Party ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka and Gujarat slashed traffic fines under new MV Act. -- with inputs from PTI
10:05 Modi welcomes Trump's 'special gesture'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomes the announcement by the White House that United States President Donald Trump will be joining Houston's mega 'Howdy, Modi!' event on September 22.
'A special gesture by POTUS, signifying the special friendship b/w India & USA! Delighted that President Donald Trump will join the community programme in Houston on the 22nd. Looking forward to joining Indian origin community in welcoming him at the programme,' Modi tweeted on Monday morning.
'The special gesture of President Donald Trump to join us in Houston highlights the strength of the relationship and recognition of the contribution of the Indian community to American society and economy,' Modi said in another tweet.
More than 50,000 Indian-Americans from across the US have registered for the September 22 mega 'Howdy, Modi! Shared Dreams, Bright Futures' event to be held at the sprawling NRG Stadium in Houston.
In a statement, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said, 'It (Modi-Trump joint rally) will be a great opportunity to emphasise the strong ties between the people of the United States and India, to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the world's oldest and largest democracies, and to discuss ways to deepen their energy and trade relationship.' -- Agencies
09:38 Rajiv case convict Nalini back in jail after parole ends
Nalini Sriharan, one of the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, surrendered at a prison in Vellore on Sunday, after being out of the jail for 52 days on ordinary leave granted by the Madras high court.
Nalini, who was granted parole in connection with the preparation of her daughter's marriage, surrendered before the prison authorities here, her legal adviser, P Pugazhenthi, told PTI.
On July 25, she was released from the prison on a 30-day parole and later she petitioned the Madras high court again which extended her leave in August by three more weeks.
Days ago, the high court had declined to entertain her plea for one more extension of her leave.
During her parole period, she had also petitioned the Tamil Nadu government seeking extension.
In early July, the Madras high court had granted her one month leave after she argued her plea in person.
Lodged in the Special Prison for Women in Vellore for over 27 years, she had originally sought a six-month leave to make arrangements for her daughter's marriage.
Her present parole that extended to 52 days is the longest she had ever been out of prison since 1991.
In 2016, when Nalini's father, P Sankara Narayanan, died, she was granted emergency leave for 12 hours to participate in the funeral and later, allowed one day to take part in the 16th day of post-death rituals.
In 2004, she was allowed to attend the wedding of her brother, Bhagyanathan.
The 12-point conditions of her parole included a bar on her from interacting with the media, political parties or personalities and an undertaking to keep good conduct and not disrupt public peace. -- PTI
09:33 AP boat mishap: 2 copters pressed into rescue op
Two helicopters and eight boats were pressed into rescue and search operation early morning on Monday in the incident in which a tourist boat ferrying 61 passengers capsized in Godavari River near Devipatnam on Sunday afternoon.
As many as 11 people have reportedly lost their lives in the accident.
According to the update provided by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), aforesaid rescue operation started at 5.45 hours on Monday morning.
Further, gates of Dowleswaram Barrage have been closed as the search operation is going there.
Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy on Sunday announced Rs 10 lakh ex gratia for bereaved families and asked for a complete report on the incident.
All the boating services in the region have been suspended. -- ANI
09:02 Pak violates ceasefire along LoC in Poonch
Pakistani Army violated ceasefire by resorting to mortar shelling on forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said on Monday.
A few Army personnel, part of an ambush party, were injured when two mortar shells exploded near them during the shelling on Sunday night, the officials said.
"Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and intense shelling with mortars in Balakote area of Mendhar sector around 2230 hours on Sunday. Indian army retaliated befittingly," a defence spokesperson said in a statement.
Officials said an army column was on ambush duty near the LoC when two mortar shells exploded near them, causing injuries to a 'few personnel'.
"The injured were immediately evacuated to military hospital and their condition is stated to be stable," they said. -- PTI
08:21 Oil prices soar over 10% after Saudi attacks
Oil prices surged more than 10 per cent Monday after attacks on two Saudi Arabian plants that slashed output in the world's top producer by half, with Donald Trump blaming Iran and raising the possibility of a military strike on the country.
West Texas Intermediate jumped 10.68 per cent to $ 60.71 and Brent climbed 11.77 per cent to $ 67.31 in early Asia trading following the blasts at facilities run by state-owned giant Aramco.
The attack by Tehran-backed Houthi rebels in neighbouring Yemen, where a Saudi-led coalition is bogged down in a five-year war, effectively shut down six per cent of the global oil supply.
Brent soared almost 20 per cent at one point on Monday, while WTI surged around 15 per cent before paring the gains.
Trump said on Sunday that the United States was 'locked and loaded' to respond to the attack, while Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: "The United States will work with our partners and allies to ensure that energy markets remain well supplied and Iran is held accountable for its aggression." -- Agencies
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