LIVE! Public pressure forced Kejriwal to act in JNU case: BJP

LIVE

Fri, 28 February 2020

Public pressure forced Kejriwal to act in JNU case: BJP

Timeline Refresh

23:54 Bus, train collision kills 30 in Pak: Report

At least 30 people were killed and several others seriously injured when a passenger bus hit a train in Pakistan's Sindh province on Friday, according to a media report.

The accident happened at Rohri area in Sukkur district when the bus was trying to cross an open unmanned railway crossing and hit the train, the Express Tribune reported.

"At least eight bodies have been shifted to the nearest hospital as the rescue is still underway," the report quoted a senior police official as saying. -- PTI

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday credited public pressure for the Delhi government's decision to grant sanction to prosecute Kanhaiya Kumar and nine others in the 2016 Jawaharlal Nehru University sedition case, with party leader Prakash Javadekar saying Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal delayed it for three years but was forced to bend in front of the people.

"Under public pressure, finally the Delhi government was forced to give permission in the JNU case. For three years, Arvind Kejriwal kept postponing it but he was forced to bend in front of people," he said in a tweet.

Javadekar in his tweets also referred to the controversial slogans, including the alleged call to break up India and said that justice will prevail now.

The BJP leader said those slogans were "anti-national".

The AAP government on Friday gave a go-ahead to the city police to prosecute former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and nine others in connection with a 2016 sedition case.

On January 14, the police had filed a charge sheet against Kanhaiya and others, including former Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya.

The police had said the accused led a procession and had supported the seditious slogans allegedly raised on the JNU campus during an event on February 9, 2016. -- PTI

The "Dadi of Shaheenbagh" on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not understand the pain of losing children, as speakers at an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act rally in Kolkata called on protesters to maintain peace and not give in to any provocation.

Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, said that the battle is not for a day or two, but the protesters will have to be prepared to continue it for years to come.

Asma Khatoon, who has earned fame as the "Dadi of Shaheenbagh" in Delhi, asked how can a person take care of the whole country when he cannot maintain his own family.

"He would have realised how it feels to lose a child if he had his own children," she told a gathering at the Park Circus Maidan, which is being termed as the Shaheen Bagh of Kolkata with women holding a sit-in for the last 53 days to protest the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, proposed nationwide NRC and the NPR.

She said it is not biryani that has attracted women to the protest at Shaheen Bagh, while holding that such vilification campaigns will have no effect on the agitation.

West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party president Dilip Ghosh has claimed that "uneducated men and women" are protesting at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh and Kolkata's Park Circus as they get money and biryani purchased with foreign funds.

"Home Minister Amit Shah has called 20 protesters to meet him, but I want to tell him that we are one lakh and I want him to mention the place where he wants us to go for the meeting," she said.

Tushar Gandhi said, "People should stay united and not give in to any provocation," he said.

Gandhi said that the people of West Bengal are lucky to have Mamata Banerjee as their chief minister.

"They will try to break her also and it is necessary that you continue to give her support," he said.

Gandhi claimed that no one can harm a country where its mothers and sisters come out to save it.

He claimed that the CAA is not about Hindus or Muslims, but will really affect the poor people, who will be made to run around to get their papers instead of earning for their basic and daily needs.

"It's a dichotomous government that we have at the Centre. On the one hand, they want us to provide documents to prove our citizenship, while on the other they refuse to accept the papers that one produces before it for the purpose," he said. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said he is eagerly looking forward to being with his "sisters and brothers of Uttar Pradesh" on Saturday where he will attend several programmes in Chitrakoot and Prayagraj.

"There will be programmes in Prayagraj and Chitrakoot which would focus on empowerment of divyangjan (people with disabilities), infrastructure, farmer welfare and more," he said on Saturday.

He said he is delighted to be laying the foundation stone of the Bundelkhand Expressway at Chitrakoot.

"This expressway will be the harbinger of progress for youngsters in the region and will also help the Defence Corridor coming up in the state... Next-gen infrastructure for a better tomorrow," Modi said in a series of tweets.

The Samajik Adhikarta Shivir at Prayagraj will be among the biggest such camps for senior citizens and people with disabilities. Assistive aids and devices would distributed. "It is a part of our efforts to ensure a better quality of living for them," he said.

A statement from the Prime Minister's Office said on Friday that to mark one year of the PM-Kisan scheme, Modi will launch 10,000 Farmers Producer Organisations all over the country at Chitrakoot on Saturday.

Nearly 86 per cent of farmers are small and marginal with average land holdings in the country being less than 1.1 hectare.

"These small, marginal and landless farmers face tremendous challenges during agriculture production phase such as for access to technology, quality seed, fertilisers and pesticides including requisite finances. They also face tremendous challenges in marketing their produce due to lack of economic strength," the statement pointed out.

FPOs help in collectivization of such small, marginal and landless farmers in order to give them the collective strength to deal with such issues. Members of the FPO will manage their activities together in the organisation to get better access to technology, input, finance and market for faster enhancement of their income, it said.

The event will also witness the completion of one year of the launch of PM-KISAN scheme.

The Modi government has launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme as an income support scheme for farmers to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs.

Under the scheme, benefit is provided to the eligible beneficiary to the tune of Rs 6,000 per year.

It is payable in three 4-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000 each.

The scheme was launched on February 24, 2019.

The prime minister will also be launching a saturation drive for distribution of Kisan Credit Cards to all the beneficiaries under the PM-KISAN Scheme at the event. -- PTI

23:16 Nationalism need not be defensive: Jaishankar

The rise of nationalism is one of the "defining characteristics" of present era, and countries need not be "defensive" about it, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said in Gujarat's Kevadiya on Friday.

He was speaking at the 6th India Ideas Conclave on the theme of "New India: Turning to Roots, Rising to Heights.

"The rise of nationalism is one of the defining characteristics of our current era. It has expressed itself in many different forms across various geographies, many with visible democratic validation," he said.

Among its "obvious examples" are current politics in the United States, emergence of China, Brexit and "the return of Russia to the arena of great power politics", he said.

India's world view is now "more global, not less", and on issues such as climate change, radicalization, counter-terrorism, and pandemics, the country's contribution "is making a difference", he said.

While understanding the rise of nationalism, all nationalisms should not "painted with the same brush" as it then makes it easy to "demonize" some countries, he said.

"But as we have seen with China or Russia, nationalism need not be defensive. It could constitute a claim for a greater role in global affairs or a revival of influence after years of being under pressure," Jaishankar said.

"...for large parts of the world, nationalism is a perfectly natural expression of discovering their roots and asserting their independence," the diplomat-turned-politician added.

"So where does all of this leave India?...it is today a polity which is demonstrating that the genuine spread of democracy will lead to the discovery of roots, heritage and traditions," the Union minister said.

"Its growing capabilities and influence will clearly shape global rebalancing and determine multipolarity. As a civilizational power now making a comeback on the global stage, it will help create a different global cultural equilibrium," he said. -- PTI

The police on Friday identified the cause of death of 35 victims of the communal violence in northeast Delhi -- 22 died due to fatal injuries from stone pelting or physical assault and 13 due to gunshot injuries.

The police have managed to identified only 26 of the victims.

"As per the report available..., 35 persons have succumbed to injuries inflicted on them during riots (till Tuesday)..., 13 persons have died due to gunshot injuries and 22 persons have died due to severe injuries...," according to a police report.

The Delhi Police spokesperson separately said 38 people -- most of them in their 20s and 30s -- have died during the violence.

Hospital authorities have, however, put the toll at 42.

Those who died of physical assault or stone pelting are: Alok Tiwari (32 - died due to physical assault), Mohseen (25-physical assault), Salman (24 - stone pelting), Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma (26 -physical assault), Asfaq Hussain (physical assault), Dilbar Singh Negi (21 - physical assault), Mahroof Ali (32 - physical assault), Mehtab (22 - physical assault), Zakir (24 - physical assault) and Deepak Kumar (34 - stabbing).

Those who died due to gunshot injury are Amaan (18), Dinesh (35), Head constable Ratan Lal (42), Istayak (24), Mohammad Mubarak Hussain (28), Mohammad Mudassar (30), Pravesh (48), Rahul Solanki (26), Shahid, Vir Bhan (50), Mohammad Furkan (30), Shad Mohammad (35).

The police have not identified the cause of death of Rahul Thakur, Faizan, Nitin, and Vinod. -- PTI

22:12 Thank you, now ensure speedy trial: Kanhaiya

Reacting to the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government's nod to his prosecution in a long-pending sedition case, Left leader Kanhaiya Kumar took a sarcastic swipe at the Delhi Police.

Taking to Twitter, Kanhaiya said "thank you" and asked his trial to be fast-tracked "in a court of law, rather than one on television".

The former Jawaharlal Nehru University student is accused of leading a procession that allegedly chanted anti-national slogans during an on-campus event in February 2016.

"Thank you to the Delhi government for granting permission for a sedition case. Police and government officials are urged to take this case seriously (and have a) speedy trial in a fast-track court to ensure justice in a court of law instead of a trial on television," he posted in Hindi, adding, "Satyameva Jayate".

Alleging that the sedition law had been wrongfully used in India for "political gains and to divert people from issues that affected them", Kumar also said his speedy trial would help reveal such problems.

Friday prayers at mosques in the iot-hit areas of northeast Delhi passed off peacefully and no untoward incident was reported, local peace committee members said.

Local mosques had earlier in the day appealed for maintaining peace and harmony in the areas affected by communal clashes earlier this week.

After the Friday prayers, a delegation of peace committee members met senior police officers, including special commissioner (law and order) S N Shrivastava, at the office of the DCP (Northeast) in Seelampur.

"We have apprised the officers that the prayers were held without any trouble and no untoward incident has been reported from anywhere in the region, Parvez Mian, a peace committee member and president of the All India Milli Council Delhi state, said.

He said the delegation also apprised the police officers, including Joint CP Alok Kumar and DCP Northeast Ved Prakash Surya, that the situation had been improving in the past two days.

"The police commissioner has assured us that those behind the violence are being identified and strict action will be taken against them," Mian told PTI, referring to Shrivastava who was on Friday given the additional charge of the Delhi Police commissioner effective from Sunday.

Earlier in the day, the mosques had appealed to people to be united and not fall prey to rumours, urging people to report suspicious people to the authorities and cooperate with the police.

"In case of any emergency, please call on 112," the announcement said.

The violence that unfolded in Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Babarpur, Chand Bagh, Shiv Vihar, Bhajan Pura, Yamuna Vihar areas of northeast Delhi earlier this week have claimed at least 42 lives and left over 200 injured while also unleashing large scale mob-led destruction of properties.

The situation limped back towards normalcy on Friday, even as police and paramilitary personnel maintained their presence along main roads and interior areas of the riot-hit region. -- PTI

Image: Muslims offer Friday prayers on the rooftop of a mosque, which was burnt by rioters in Tuesday's violence over new citizenship law, at Brijpuri area of northeast Delhi. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo

Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sourav Ganguly on Friday said the next Asia Cup will be held in Dubai, paving the way for both India and Pakistan to participate in the continental tournament.

Pakistan was the designated hosts for the tournament scheduled for September, but with the BCCI making it clear that the Indian team would not be able to travel to the neighbouring country owing to security concerns, the event has been moved to Dubai.

"Asia Cup will be held in Dubai and both India and Pakistan will play," Ganguly told reporters at the Eden Gardens before leaving for Dubai for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting, to be held on March 3.

Earlier, the BCCI had said they have no problem with Pakistan hosting the tournament, provided it is held at a neutral venue.

India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series since 2012-13 when Pakistan visited the country for a limited-overs series.

Due to the ongoing political tensions between the two countries, India and Pakistan have only met in major ICC competitions since early 2013.

The BCCI president congratulated the Harmanpreet Kaur-led Indian team for making the Women's T20 World Cup semifinal with a three-run win over New Zealand in Melbourne.

"They are playing some fantastic cricket and have qualified. Nobody is favourites in a world tournament. They are a good side, let's see where they finish," Ganguly said of the women's cricket team that won three matches in a row to seal a last-four berth.

The former India captain backed Virat Kohli's side to bounce back from the Basin Reverse debacle and level the two-match Test series in New Zealand.

"They have come back back before. I'm sure they will bounce back again. There's still one Test remaining," Ganguly said. -- PTI

In a major breakthrough, the National Investigation Agency on Friday arrested an operative of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed for his alleged involvement in the Pulwama terror attack last year, officials said.

Officials said that 22-year-old Shakir Bashir Magrey, a furniture shop owner and resident of Hajibal, Kakapora in Pulwama, had provided shelter and other logistical assistance to suicide-bomber Adil Ahmad Dar.

Magrey was introduced to Dar in mid 2018 by Pakistani terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq and he became a full-time overground worker of the JeM.

During his initial interrogation, Magrey disclosed that on several occasions he collected and delivered arms, ammunition, cash and explosive materials to JeM terrorists, including those involved in the Pulwama attack, the NIA said.

Magrey further revealed that he had harboured Dar and Pakistani terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq in his house from late 2018 till the attack in February 2019, and assisted them in the preparation of the improvised explosive device.

His shop is located near Lethpora bridge, and as advised by Mohammad Umar Farooq, he started conducting reconnaissance of the movement of CRPF convoy on Jammu-Srinagar Highway in January 2019, and informed Mohammad Umar and Dar about it, officials said.

Magrey was also involved in modifying the Maruti Eeco car and fitting IED to it in early February, 2019, they said.

During investigation, the make, model and number of the car used in the attack was quickly ascertained to be a Maruti Eeco car through forensic tests of the tiny remnants of the vehicle, which were seized from the spot during extensive searches, the NIA said, adding this has been corroborated by Magrey.

The explosives used in the attack were determined through forensic probe to be ammonium nitrate, nitro-glycerin and RDX.

Investigation has also confirmed the identity of the suicide bomber to be Adil Ahmad Dar through DNA matching with that of his father.

The other key terrorists involved in the attack have been found to be Muddasir Ahmad Khan, JeM's Divisional Commander of South Kashmir killed in an operation by security forces on March 11, last year; Pakistani terrorists -- Muhammad Umar Farooq and IED expert Kamran, both killed on March 29 last year; the owner of the car -- Sajjad Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Anantnag who was killed on June 16 last year and Qari Yassir, JeM's Commander for Kashmir who was killed on January 25 this year.

The attack on the CRPF convoy, moving from Jammu towards Srinagar on February 14 last year in Pulwama, with an IED-laden vehicle by Jaish terrorist Dar had claimed lives of 40 CRPF personnel and grievously injured many others.

Magrey was produced before the NIA Special Court at Jammu on Friday and remanded to 15 days in NIA custody for his detailed interrogation.

Further probe was underway. -- PTI

20:27 Rafale not enough for force's needs: IAF Chief

Soon to be inducted into the Indian Air Force, the 36 Rafale jets will not be sufficient to take care of the force's requirements, IAF chief RKS Bhadauria said on Friday, highlighting the need to focus on developing indigenous platforms across the spectrum to have an edge.

Speaking at a seminar on 'air power in no war no peace scenario' that was organised by the Centre for Air Power Studies, Bhadauria said the use of the Air Force in the sub-conventional domain was considered a "taboo" in the past and the Balakot air strike was a "paradigm shift" in that.

Stressing on the need to develop indigenous weapons, Bhadauria said it would be a "game changer" if in the next air skirmish, the weapons and missiles used by the Air Force are indigenously built.

"The 36 Rafale jets will alone not provide us solution for the IAF's need. We need to be able to use the indigenous Astra missile on the Su30s and across other fighter aircraft like the MiG-29 for better performance of air power," he said.

He, however, said the induction of the 36 Rafale jets that are armed with Meteor missiles will boost India's air capabilities.

"But there needs to be more solutions. We cannot just depend on Meteor class in the Rafale jets to sort out IAF's requirements. It's important that this capability on Rafale is complimented with similar capabilities on other platforms and we have taken lot of action towards that," he said.

The air chief also said that while India had an edge over Pakistan in terms of Beyond Visual Range Missile capability at the time of Kargil, "we allowed that to slip".

"We had an edge over Pakistan Air Force in terms of Beyond Visual Range Missile capability at the time of Kargil. We allowed that to slip and thereafter it took a decade and half in our struggle to acquisition process to be able to get better capability," the Air Force chief said in his speech.

This would soon materialise with the induction of the Rafale jets, he said.

"In air engagement, especially in a deeply contested area, it is important to have a weapon's edge. Once we retain this edge, it is important that we don't allow to slip back this edge," he added.

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Friday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his reaction to the violence in Delhi, thanking him for the "speedy response" after "69 hours of silence".

In his first reaction to the violence, Prime Minister Modi had on Wednesday appealed for peace and brotherhood and said he had held an extensive review of the prevailing situation in various parts of the national capital.

"Speedy response! Thank you Modi ji for making an appeal to our brothers and sisters after 69 hours of silence. In the meantime: 38 dead, still counting. Over 200 injured, thousands scarred, properties destroyed. As for our CM. He prayed! And your minister blames Congress," Sibal said.

At least 42 were killed and over 200 injured in the communal clashes that broke out in northeast Delhi on Sunday after clashes between supporters of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and those opposing it spiralled out of control. -- PTI

20:02 Atishi appointed in-charge of AAP's Goa unit

The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday appointed its MLAs Atishi and Jarnail Singh as in-charge of the party's Goa and Punjab units respectively.

The AAP would soon start organisation building operations in the two states, according to a statement.

After getting a huge mandate in the Delhi polls, the party has launched a nationwide campaign to reach out to people. -- PTI

20:02 10 biggest single-day falls in Sensex

As the Sensex shed 1,448 points on Friday, here are the 10 biggest single-day falls of the equity market.

The decline in the economic growth has bottomed out, said the finance ministry on Friday as the GDP growth slowed to a nearly seven-year low of 4.7 per cent in the quarter ending December 2020.

The National Statistical Office has, however, upwardly revised GDP growth estimates for the first quarter of 2019-20 to 5.6 per cent (from 5 per cent), and for the second quarter to 5.1 per cent (from 4.5 per cent).

"We have already bottomed out," said Economic Affairs Secretary Atanu Chakraborty while talking to reporters after the NSO released its data.

The NSO estimates the GDP growth for the whole fiscal at 5 per cent.

The secretary further said the growth in the core sector industries too has witnessed growth during the December and January which "augurs well" for the manufacturing sector during the January-March quarter of the fiscal.

On the deadly coronavirus impacting the global economy, he said "it is an unfolding story".

Shares of 2,011 BSE-listed companies ended in the red on Friday, as benchmark indices plummeted to nearly five-month lows on rising fears of the coronavirus outbreak turning into a pandemic and derailing global growth. -- PTI

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

19:38 Delhi govt gives nod to prosecute Kanhaiya

The Delhi government has given a go-ahead to the city police to prosecute former Jawaharlal Nehru University Student's Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and two others in connection with a 2016 sedition case, sources said on Friday.

On January 14, the police had filed a charge sheet against Kumar and others, including former Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya.

The police had said they were leading a procession and had supported the seditious slogans allegedly raised on the campus during an event on February 9, 2016.

A day ahead of signing of a landmark peace deal between the United States and the Taliban, foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Friday travelled to Kabul and conveyed India's unstinted support to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.

The foreign secretary held talks with acting foreign minister of Afghanistan Haroon Chakhansuri and apprised him about India's views on the peace deal as well as its commitment for all-round development of the country.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said Shringla and Chakhansur reviewed and positively assessed developments in bilateral strategic partnership.

The US and the Taliban are set to sign a peace deal at a ceremony in Doha on Saturday which will provide for the withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan nearly 18 years after their deployment in the country.

"Foreign Secretary conveyed India's support for the people of Afghanistan in their pursuit for sustainable peace, security and development," Kumar tweeted.

India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

India's Ambassador to Qatar P Kumaran is slated to attend the ceremony where the US and Taliban will strike the peace deal.

It will be for the first time India will officially attend an event involving the Taliban.

India has been a key stakeholder in the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

In a significant move, India had sent two former diplomats in "non-official" capacity to a conference on Afghan peace process in Moscow in November 2018.

The conference organised by Russia was attended by a high-level Taliban delegation, representatives of Afghanistan as well as from several other countries, including the US, Pakistan and China. -- PTI

18:43 GDP growth slips to 4.7% in December quarter

India's economic growth slowed to 4.7 per cent in October-December 2019, according to official data released on Friday.

The Gross Domestic Product growth was registered at 5.6 per cent in the corresponding quarter of 2018-19, as per the data released by the National Statistical Office.

During the nine-month period (April-December 2019), the Indian economy grew 5.1 per cent as against 6.3 per cent in the same period a year ago.

The GDP growth rate for the first quarter of 2019-20 was revised to 5.6 per cent, and for the second quarter to 5.1 per cent.

The NSO has pegged economic growth at 5 per cent in 2019-20 in its second advance estimates released on Friday, the same as its estimates last month.

The Reserve Bank had also estimated 5 per cent GDP growth for 2019-20.

China's economic growth was 6 per cent in October-December 2019, which was the weakest expansion in over 27 years.

China's economic growth was 6.1 per cent in 2019 (calendar year), the slowest in about three decades. -- PTI

A total of 123 FIRs were registered and 630 people were either arrested or detained so far in connection with the northeast Delhi communal violence, the Delhi Police spokesperson said on Friday.

Delhi Police spokesperson Mandeep Singh Randhawa said forensic science laboratory teams have been called in and the crime scenes are being revisited.

The death toll in Delhi's communal violence has gone up to 42.

More than 250 people have been injured in the communal clashes. The areas mainly affected include Jafrabad, Maujpur, Chand Bagh, Khureji Khas and Bhajanpura. -- PTI

18:01 CM draws up R&R plan for riot-devastated Delhi

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on what the government is doing to provide aid and security in the riot-affected areas of northeast Delhi.

-- Food: We are distributing food on a large scale.

-- Accommodation: We've made arrangements for accommodation at our nine Rain Baseras, and local community centers for people whose houses are completely burnt down or those who can't go back to their home. If needed, we'll also arrange temporary tents for people.

Compensation: People whose houses are completely burnt down or substantially burnt down will be given on the spot ex-gratia of Rs 25,000 cash each from tomorrow afternoon. Balance amount will be given after assessment within two to three days by PWD department and we'll make an effort to get them their balance cheque.

Foot soldiers: We've appointed 18 Sub divisional magistrates. They're going among the public and talking to them.

17:34 Oppn spreading misinformation on CAA: HM

Home Minister Amit Shah speaking at a pro-CAA rally in Odisha asks why the opposition was lying about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

"The Opposition is spreading misinformation on CAA and inciting violence. I repeat again that citizenship of any Muslim or minority will not be taken away through CAA, because it is an Act to give citizenship not to take it away. Congress, Left, Mamata SP, BSP is opposing the CAA claiming Muslims will lose citizenship. No Indian Muslim will lose

citizenship," Shah said.

17:20 Sikhs distribute food to riot-affected

Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee distributes food to people in Shiv Vihar area in Northeast Delhi which witnessed violence in the last few days.

17:13 LG takes stock of riot-hit northeast Delhi

Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on Friday visited riot-affected areas in northeast Delhi to take stock of the situation and interacted with locals. Baijal visited Maujpur, Jaffrabad and Gokulpuri, an official said. He was accompanied by senior police officers. This is the first visit of the Lt governor to the riot-hit areas after violence broke out on Monday. At least 39 have been killed and over 200 injured in communal clashes in northeast Delhi.

The areas worst affected in the violence include Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Chand Bagh, Khureji Khas and Bhajanpura. Earlier this week, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia and Environment Minister Gopal Rai had visited the violence-hit areas. PTI

One of the four death row convicts, Pawan Kumar Gupta, in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case moved a curative plea in the Supreme Court on Friday seeking commutation of his death penalty to life imprisonment.

Gupta (25), against whom the death warrant has been issued for execution along with three other condemned prisoners on March 3, has filed the curative plea saying that the death penalty should not awarded to him, his counsel A P Singh said.

He is the lone convict among the four who has not exhausted his legal remedies of filing a curative petition and subsequent mercy plea with the President. On December 16, 2012, a 23-year-old physiotherapy intern, who later came to be known as 'Nirbhaya' (fearless), was gang raped and savagely assaulted in a moving bus in South Delhi. She died after a fortnight. PTI

Ram Sevak, a resident of Shiv Vihar, affected by the riots says, "I am living here for the past 35 years.There are only one or two houses of Hindus in this bylane, but we never faced any problem. At the time of violence, my Muslim brothers assured me: 'Uncleji sleep well, there will be no harm."

Amid reports of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat stating that British cannot be blamed for everything wrong in the country, Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik on Friday said that Bhagwat should have also conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that blaming Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru for all that is wrong in the country will also not work.

According to reports Bhagwat, while addressing an event on Thursday had said that Dr BR Ambedkar had underlined that only the country's citizens will be responsible for whatever happens and that Britishers could no longer be blamed.

"The RSS chief has said that the responsibility is ours and the Constitution is there for 70 years and therefore we cannot point fingers at the Britishers. I think Bhagwatji has given a suggestion to Prime Minister Modiji and those ruling the country that for anything that happens in the country they cannot point fingers at Jawaharlal Nehru," Malik told ANI.

"If RSS chief would have suggested so to Prime Minister Modi then it would have been better for him and the country," he added.

Regarding the Delhi violence, the NCP leader said that the central government was shielding Union minister Anurag Thakur and its party leader Kapil Mishra by not registering cases against them for their provocative statements."

A case has been registered against an AAP leader, but when will a case against Anurag Thakur and Kapil Mishra be filed. It is good that action is being taken against anyone who is allegedly involved in the riots. The government is trying to shield the people who made provocative statements. This will not be tolerated," Malik said.He further said that the transfer of the Delhi High Court judge, Justice S Murlidhar, was being questioned by the people. (ANI)

A 60-year-old scrap dealer was allegedly beaten to death in northeast Delhi on Friday in what appears to be a fresh case of violence. Ayub Shabbir found injured by locals at Karawal Nagar in the morning, his son said.

"My father stepped out today at 5 am but, after some time, two men brought him on a scooter saying he had been thrashed. He had injuries on head and leg," his 18-year-old son Salman said.

Shabbir was brought to the GTB hospital and succumbed to injuries during treatment, said Salman, who was crying outside the emergency ward.

The death toll in Delhi's communal violence rose to 39 on Friday as clouds of smoke cleared to reveal the extent of the damage from the worst riots in the city in more than three decades and people gingerly stepped out for work and opened shops and other establishments. -- PTI

Death toll in the Delhi riots rises to 42.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi deputed a five-member team to visit the riot-affected areas in northeast Delhi and submit a report to her after assessing the situation there. The delegation comprises AICC general Secretary Mukul Wasnik, AICC in-charge Delhi Shaktisinh Gohil, Haryana PCC chief Kumari Selja, Ex-MP Tariq Anwar, and Mahila Congress chief Sushmita Dev.

The Congress president asked the leaders to assess the situation emanating from the mindless violence in riot-affected areas and its after effects, the party said in a statement.

The team has been asked to submit a "detailed report to the Congress President immediately", the statement said. PTI

14:13 Arms and the man

Delhi: Municipal corporation workers clean roads at Kabir Nagar in Babarpur area ahead of Friday prayers.

"BJP leader Kapil Mishra was standing with a deputy commissioner of police while giving a hate speech. Immediately, the message goes down that the police is 'with us', so let's start rioting."

Film-maker and social activist Rahul Roy worked in the relief camps for victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. It was his plea on which Justice S Muralidhar directed the Delhi police to ensure safe passage to injured victims and provide emergency treatment at government hospitals.

"If the police wants to stop a communal riot, it does not take more than four hours for them to do so," Roy tells Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf.

Read the interview here.

SN Shrivastava, Delhi Police Special Commissioner (Law and Order), on action against municipal councillor Tahir Hussain: "We are trying to bring every culprit to justice and we are working on it."

Shops and businesses were open again in the violence-affected areas of the North-East district of Delhi on Friday, as residents expressed satisfaction at the restoration of peace.

Speaking to ANI, a shopkeeper in Delhi's Bhajanpura area, Jaskaran Bhati said, "My shop was shut since the violence started in the area four-five days ago. Now, it is peaceful as people start to realise that no one will gain anything by indulging in violence."

"Small business owners incurred a lot of damage as many shops were gutted in the area. I had never seen such violence here, I have my shop here since 1994," he said.

A customer at the shop, Hemlata said, "For the past four-five days, the shops were shut, now some of them are open but we are still afraid of a repeat of the violence."

Another local resident Raju Sharma, said, "My work suffered a lot because I am a daily wage earner. Everyone has suffered. People should not get influenced by someone and indulge in violence. It will take some more day's to normalise things here."

Chotelal Yadav, a worker at the store said, "For the past few days the shop is closed. I think some outsiders have come and created violence here. There is no enmity between Hindus and Muslims here."

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police have continued with their patrols in the area in an effort to restore peace at the earliest. In Maujpur, Additional DCP RP Meena said, "In the 80-90 percent there is peace. We have taken members from every community along and conducted flag march and foot patrols."

"We have assured everyone to carry on with their normal routine and there is no need to heed to any rumours," he said.The councillor from Maujpur, Naddem, also stated that the situation was returning to normal.

"Now the situation is coming back to normal, there is traffic movement on roads and the market is also open. I also appeal to all to open their shops and start their work so that peaceful atmosphere prevails," he said.

12:55 Forensic team at Tahir Hussain's factory

A team of the Delhi Forensic Science Laboratory visited AAP MLA Tahir Hussain's factory in the Chand Bagh area this morning to collect evidence relating to the riots. Yesterday, the Aam Aadmi Party suspended him from its primary membership, pending investigation for his alleged involvement in the riots.

This came after an FIR was registered against Hussain for allegedly murdering Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma, whose body was recovered from North-East Delhi's Chand Bagh area on Wednesday.

The FIR was registered at Dayalpur Police Station based on the complaint of Sharma's father Ravinder Kumar.Along with Section 302 (punishment for murder), the FIR also mentions Section 201 (disappearance of evidence) of the IPC.

Delhi Police have also sealed a factory belonging to Hussain in the North-East Delhi's Khajoori Khaas area.

Earlier, family members of Sharma had alleged that a few people who were pelting stones from the building belonging to Hussain in Chand Bagh, had killed Sharma.

Ankit's father Ravinder Kumar has stated that his son was attacked while he was returning from duty.

Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Kapil Sibal on Friday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his "delayed" appeal to the citizens to maintain peace in the wake of communal violence in northeast Delhi.

"Speedy response! Thank you Modiji for making an appeal to our brothers and sisters after 69 hours of silence. In the meantime: 38 dead, still counting, over 200 injured, thousands scarred, properties destroyed. As for our CM, he prayed! And your minister blames Congress," Sibal tweeted.Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Wednesday appealed to the people of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times and added that calm and normalcy should be restored at the earliest.

"Had an extensive review on the situation prevailing in various parts of Delhi. Police and other agencies are working on the ground to ensure peace and normalcy," the Prime Minister had tweeted."Peace and harmony are central to our ethos. I appeal to my sisters and brothers of Delhi to maintain peace and brotherhood at all times. It is important that there is calm and normalcy is restored at the earliest," he added.

The violence had started on Sunday evening after groups of people opposing and supporting the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) came face to face in northeast Delhi's Maujpur and started pelting stones at each other.

BSP national spokesperson Sudhindra Bhadoria has expressed deep concern over the death of 38 people in the recent incidents of violence in North-East Delhi and demanded that those who are responsible for this should be booked and dealt with an iron hand.

"It is very unfortunate that in the national capital 38 people have already been reported dead and there are hundreds of people seriously injured. Property worth hundreds of crores has been burnt and destroyed. I think at this moment, the government needs to act swiftly. All those who are responsible for this violence should be booked and dealt with an iron hand. Peace and normalcy should be maintained at all costs," Bhadoria told ANI.

"I think the time now is to maintain peace, law and order, and everybody should be made equal before the law," Bhadoria added.

On the issue of police setting up a SIT to investigate the matter, Bhadoria said that police should have acted fast and taken immediate steps when the violence was first reported."I think it is too little," he said.

12:18 Atmosphere on the whole peaceful: NCW chief

Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Rekha Sharma,along with two members, visits the Jaffrabad area to meet the women there. She says, "There is a little bit of tension here but on the whole the atmosphere is peaceful. I'll come again tomorrow ".

Local mosques in northeast Delhi appealed on Friday for maintaining peace and harmony in the riot-hit area. The mosques appealed to people to be united and not fall prey to rumours, urging people to report about suspicious people to the authorities and cooperate with the police. "In case of any emergency, please call on 112," the announcement said.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said today that people who will be found guilty in spreading violence in the national capital over the Citizenship Amendment Act will not be spared. He also urged citizens to maintain peace in the capital.

"People with evil minds will surely get punished. The country believes in the principle of unity in diversity. I was happy seeing Muslim brothers helping Hindus and vice versa. We should all appeal for peace and not provoke people," he said while speaking to ANI in New Delhi.

The economic cost from the outbreak of coronavirus strain COVID-19 is still uncertain but will certainly have a negative impact on global growth, the International Monetary Fund has said.

The IMF is looking at all the data available and hopes to have a more concrete outlook of the ultimate impact when it publishes the next World Economic Outlook report in April, said IMF spokesman Gerry Rice.

"We are likely to downgrade our growth projections for the world in April. Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has already said that. I do not have another number for you today, but clearly the virus is gonna have an impact on growth," he said on Thursday (local time).

In consultation with its members, the IMF is examining options on how to hold its spring meetings in April, said Rice."We remain fully committed to sharing the fund's policy advice. Maintaining our dialogue with our membership and stakeholders, which is the objective of the spring meetings. So we are looking at this as we speak. We are considering various options. The institutions, both institutions, have well-developed contingency plans," he said.

The coronavirus COV-19 outbreak is not confined by national borders, so the economic response to it must also be international, said Rice. And the IMF supports the measures taken so far by China and other countries to prop up their economies as the health crisis impacts them, he added.

"In the event that things get worse, we should be in a position of thinking about a more synchronised, a more coordinated response that would include economic measures. I think it would include health measures as well. We are not at that point yet," said Rice."

The IMF has a full array of financial tools and incentives to help lower-income countries with emergency funding so that money used to stave off disease does not come at the expense of long-term economic stability," he added. -- ANI

11:45 Rekha Sharma arrives at DCP's office

Chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Rekha Sharma, arrives at the office of DCP North East district.

Delhi Police Joint Commissioner OP Mishra in Chand Bagh: The opening of shops is a sign of normalcy. This process of normalisation in the area started yesterday. Our focus is to assure all citizens residing here is that they must start their normal life now. People here must revive their 'Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb' which has been dented. kind We've held discussions with the Aman Committee, made elaborate arrangements in view of all devotees who'll go to offer prayers to mosques today.

Security personnel on Friday remained deployed in several parts of violence-affected North-East Delhi, including Khajoori Khaas, Dayalpur, Jafrabad, Gokulpuri and Bhajanpura among others.

Locals in Jaffrabad and other places were seen going on with their daily routine. Few grocery stores were also open in most of these areas.

The Delhi Police on Thursday issued an appeal, urging people and media persons to come forward and give their statements and share pictures and video footage in connection with the violence in North East Delhi. -- ANI

11:12 SN Srivastava takes over as Delhi police chief

SN Srivastava, who is now Special Commissioner (Law and Order) takes over as Commissioner of Police, Delhi. The incumbent is Amulya Patnaik.

The Delhi police has come under severe flak for not taking action as thousands clashed in the North-east Delhi neighbourhoods such as Jafrabad, Yamuna Vihar, Babarpur, Khajoori Khas, torching vehicles and shops and houses, in the worst communal riots in the capital in at least two decades. At least 38 people have died in the clashes.

Yesterday, the government and the Delhi Police told the Delhi High Court that the police would need more time to lodge cases against people who were found to be inciting violence that may have led to the violence in Delhi.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who is representing Delhi Police in the violence case, told the Delhi High Court that 48 FIRs have been lodged in relation to the north-east Delhi violence and there be no judicial intervention till normalcy is restored in the national capital.

Delhi Police has told the Delhi High Court that in a conscious decision, they have decided to not file an FIR for hate speech against anyone at this stage as it won't help in restoring peace and normalcy in Delhi.

Delhi Police sought more time to investigate the hate speech videos of the BJP leaders. Delhi HC has given more time to Delhi Police to look into the hate speech videos and postponed the hearing for April 13.

India has temporarily suspended visa on arrival services for nationals of Japan and South Korea in view of the surge in the number of coronavirus cases in the two countries, the Indian embassy here said on Friday. The development comes a day after India evacuated 119 Indians and 5 foreigners who were on board the coronavirus-hit cruise ship, Diamond Princess, moored off the Japanese coast.

Out of the 3,711 people on board the ship, over 700 people tested positive for the disease. Elsewhere in the country, over 160 people have been found to be infected with the disease. With COVID-19 cases surpassing 2,000, South Korea has become the biggest cluster to have the infections outside China.

A total of 13 people have died of the virus in the country.

According to an AFP report, more than 90 per cent of the new cases were in Daegu city, the epicentre of the outbreak in South Korea, and the neighbouring North Gyeongsang province. "In view of the recent outbreak of COVID-19, VISA ON ARRIVAL which was available only for nationals of Japan and South Korea has been temporarily suspended," the Indian embassy tweeted. "Regular visas continue to be processed and may be applied for," it said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the Balakot airstrikes had sent out a clear message that infrastructure across the border could not be used as safe havens for terrorists.

"If we've to be prepared for the tasks assigned to us, then it's important we maintain credible deterrence at land, air and sea at all times," Singh said at the Centre for Air Power Studies.

The Balakot airstrike conveyed India's clear message that infrastructure across the border won't be safe haven for terrorists. It forced rewriting of doctrines across the border, showed the country's resolve and capability, the defence minister said.

Speaking at the event, Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat said: "Deterrence comes from keeping every personnel trained and motivated." Rawat underlined that credible deterrence comes from the will of the military leadership and intent of political leadership while taking the tough decision. "This was amply shown after Kargil, Uri attacks and Pulwama attack," he added. -- PTI

A team of the National Commission for Women, including chairperson Rekha Sharma, will visit Jaffrabad on Friday to look into any cases of assault on women during the recent communal violence in northeast Delhi, according to a member.

At least 38 were killed and over 200 injured in the communal clashes that broke out in northeast Delhi three days ago after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control.

The areas affected include Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Chand Bagh, Khureji Khas and Bhajanpura.. A member of the NCW said Sharma and two members will visit Jaffrabad to look into any grievance or assault on women during the violence in past four days. - PTI

Image: Protesters raise slogans during a demonstration against CAA, NRC and NPR at Jaffrabad, in East Delhi, on Sunday, which is where the violence began that culminated into the riots that left 38 people dead.

An FIR has been lodged in the death of Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma's death whose body was recovered from a drain in Chand Bagh on February 26 during the communal violence in the northeast Delhi.

The victim's father, Ravinder Kumar, on whose complaint the FIR was lodged, has named Aam Aadmi Party municipal councillor Tahir Hussain as an accused.

The father has said that he "fully believes" that Tahir Hussain and the men gathered at his house have killed his son and threw the body into the drain from the rooftop of the nearby mosque.

The deceased's father has alleged that Hussain, whose office is located near Chand Bagh Pulia, had gathered men who were pelting stones and petrol bombs during the violence which led to tension and fear among the residents.

"On February 25, my son Ankit left the house at around 5 pm to buy some goods and provisions. When he didn't return, we started searching for him. We went to nearby police stations at Khajuri Khas, Dayalpur and later enquired about him in nearby hospitals. After searching him through the night, we filed a missing complaint with police on 26th February," Kumar said in the FIR.

"I came to know that Ankit was last seen with one Kallu. When I enquired about Kallu, someone told me that a dead body had been thrown in a drain near Chand Bagh. The police called divers who found the body of Ankit. He was only wearing his innerwear and there were deep slashes and cuts on his face, chest, back which could have been the result of a sharp-edged weapon. His face was burned indicating that acid was used," stated Kumar in the FIR.

The police have lodged a case under Sections 302/365/201/34 of the Indian Penal Code and further investigating the case.At least 38 people, including a police head constable, have died while around 200 people have been injured in the communal violence that rocked northeast Delhi for four days. -- ANI

After violence raged parts Delhi and claimed the lives of 38 people, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has said that the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi is needed more than ever to restore communal harmony.

"The Secretary-General has been following the situation closely. Today, the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi is needed more than ever and it is central to create conditions for true community reconciliation," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said on Thursday (local time).

Earlier, Guterres had called for exercising maximum restraint in dealing with the situation in Delhi.Violence had erupted in several areas of North-East Delhi for the past few days after two groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) indulged in stone-pelting at each other.

Subsequently, security has been beefed up at various locations in the district including Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Babarpur and Gokulpuri. Although, the situation has normalised in the affected areas, security personnel are still present. -- ANI

The Indian rupee opened on a weak note and declined by 33 paise against the US dollar in opening trade on Friday, tracking heavy selling in domestic equities and sustained foreign fund outflows.

Forex traders said market participants were cautious after the benchmark 30-share sensitive index, Sensex, plummeted 1,083.85 points to 38,661.81 in opening session amid global selloff.

At the interbank foreign exchange the rupee opened at 71.90 then lost further ground and touched a low of 71.94 against the American currency, registering a fall of 33 paise over its previous close. The domestic unit had settled at 71.61 against the US dollar on Thursday.

China reported 44 more deaths from the novel coronavirus epidemic on Friday and 327 fresh cases. The death toll now stands at 2,788 in mainland China, according to the National Health Commission.

10:04 nCoV hits Sensex, Rs 5 lakh cr wealth hit

Market benchmark Sensex plummeted over 1,100 points, wiping off over Rs 5 lakh crore investor wealth, in opening session on Friday amid a massive selloff in global equities as rising coronavirus cases outside China stoked fears of a pandemic that could dent world growth.

The 30-share index sank 1,100.27 points, or 2.77 per cent, to 38,645.39, while the NSE Nifty cracked 329.50 points, or 2.83 per cent, to 11,303.80,

All Sensex components were trading in the red, led by losses in Tata Steel, Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Mahindra and Mahindra, Bajaj Finance, HCL Tech and Reliance Industries. In the previous session, the Sensex settled 143.30 points, or 0.36 per cent, lower at 39,745.66, and the Nifty fell 45.20 points or 0.39 per cent to end at 11,633.30.

According to analysts, till last week the market was of the view that coronavirus was going to have minimum impact on global economy as situation in China was being contained. But the increase in the number of new cases is changing the view and investors are worried about an intense slowdown. Further, incessant selling by foreign investors is also spooking domestic market participants, traders said.

On a net basis, foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 3,127.36 crore on Thursday, data available with stock exchanges showed. Stock exchanges in Shanghai, Hong Kong, Seoul and Tokyo plunged up to 4 per cent in their morning sessions. -- PTI

10:01 Among 38 dead, tales of brotherhood and hope

Sending a message of brotherhood and social harmony, locals on Thursday distributed food to kin of those who were injured in the recent Delhi violence and recuperating at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital.

"We are distributing food to help people who are coming here to meet or collect bodies of their relatives or a family member. People are also coming from Haryana. Locals leaving here have taken this initiative to help the people at their difficult times," Moosa Alvi, one of the organisers, told ANI.

"It is not sponsored by any political party. We are doing it on our own," he added.

In a similar gesture, some members of the Muslim community in Chand Bagh in North-East district where violence erupted, managed to save a temple from being vandalised by forming a human chain."

The temple is around 35 years. The area is dominated by residents from the minority community. Locals -- Hindus and Muslims were alert. They saw to it that no outsider comes here. Not even one stone was pelted at the temple," temple priest Om Prakash told ANI.

Fahina Sheikh, a resident of Chand Bagh said that some outsiders had arrived to vandalise the temple -- Shri Durga Fakiri Mandir on Monday -- in a bid to create tension between the two communities. :We formed the human chain to protect the temple," she said.

Image: Security personnel remain deployed in Khajoori Khaas and Dayalpur areas of the violence-affected North East district.

The Shiv Sena on Friday questioned the absence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah from Delhi while violence, which claimed 38 lives, engulfed parts of the national capital.

"When Delhi was burning and when people were showcasing their anger, where was Union Home Minister Amit Shah then? What was he doing? These questions are being raised. 38 people have lost their lives and severe damage to public property has also occurred," the party's mouthpiece Saamana said.

"Had there been a Congress or any other coalition government in the Centre then the resignation of the Home Minister would have been demanded," it said.

The Shiv Sena said that marches demanding the resignation of the Home Minister are not being carried out today as the Opposition in the Centre is weak.

"Still, Sonia Gandhi has demanded the resignation of the Home Minister. 38 people killed in the national capital, including a policeman, and half of the Centre's Cabinet ministers were in Ahmedabad at that time to welcome Trump," the party added.

"Why was the Home Minister not visible (during the violence)? The country got a strong Home Minister but he was not visible and this is shocking. During the Assembly elections in Delhi, Amit Shah, despite being the Home Minister took out ample time for his campaigning. But he was not visible when the whole of Delhi was burning. The Opposition can create a stir during the Parliament session on this issue," the Sena further said.

Two Special Investigation Teams have been constituted under the Crime Branch, Delhi Police to investigate the violence.Through the article, the Shiv Sena also raised questions over the transfer of Delhi High Court judge, Justice S Muralidhar.

"Justice Muralidhar gave a voice to the anger seated in the hearts of the common people. The time has come to provide Z plus category security to all citizens. This is what the judge said and within 24 hours, his transfer orders came from the Rashtrapati Bhavan." -- ANI

Intelligence Bureau operative Ankit Sharma was brutally stabbed to death during the violence in northeast Delhi, the post mortem examination has revealed.

The autopsy report states: "Multiple abrasion.. deep cut.. by sharp edge objects." The panel of doctors, who carried out post mortem, have clearly stated that he was brutally and repeatedly stabbed, leading to his death.

A security assistant in the IB since 2017, Sharma was found dead in the violence-hit Chand Bagh locality where he resided.

Police said that Sharma, after returning home from office, went out to assess the situation and was confronted by a violent mob which beat him up and stabbed to death and then dumped his body in the drain.

His body was fished out on Wednesday.

The Delhi high court is scheduled to hear on Friday a plea seeking lodging of an FIR against Congress President Sonia Gandhi, ex-president Rahul Gandhi, party general secretary Priyanka Vadra and others for allegedly giving hate speeches.

The plea has also sought registration of an FIR against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen former legislator from Mumbai Waris Pathan and AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi. Apart from registration of FIRs, the petition also seeks setting up of a Special Investigation Team to look into the alleged hate speeches.

On Thursday, several pleas relating to hate speeches by certain political leaders were moved in the high court.

One such plea was filed by Hindu Sena, which in an application has alleged that hate speeches were given by AIMIM leaders Asaduddin Owaisi and Akbaruddin Owaisi.

It has also alleged that inflammatory speeches were made by AIMIM former MLA from Mumbai Waris Pathan and said his speeches surcharged communal tension in Delhi which resulted in deaths of several people.

Worldwide markets have plummeted again, deepening a weeklong rout triggered by growing anxiety that the coronavirus will wreak havoc on the global economy. The sweeping selloff pushed the benchmark S&P 500 down 4.4 per cent, its worst one-day drop since 2011.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled nearly 1,200 points. The S&P 500 has now plunged 12 per cent from the all-time high it set just a week ago. That puts the index in what market watchers call a "correction," which some analysts have said was long overdue in this bull market, the longest in history.

Stocks are now headed for their worst week since October 2008, during the global financial crisis.

The losses extended a slide that has wiped out the solid gains major indexes posted early this year.

Travel to and from China is severely restricted, and shares of airlines, hotels and cruise operators have been punished in stock markets. As the virus spread beyond China, markets feared the economic issues in China could escalate globally.

With no major incident reported from the riot-hit northeast Delhi in the last 36 hours, the Home Ministry said that prohibitory orders imposed under section 144 of the CrPC will be relaxed for a total of 10 hours on Friday.

As many as 514 suspects were either arrested or detained for questioning and further arrests would be made in the course of an investigation, the Home Ministry officials said.

At least 38 people, including a police Head Constable and Intelligence Bureau officer Ankit Sharma, died while around 200 people sustained serious injuries in the violence that raged for three days in the North-East areas of Delhi.

Two Special Investigation Teams have been constituted under the Crime Branch, Delhi Police to investigate the violence.

07:47 IndiGo reduces Kamra ban period to 3 months

Stand up comedian Kunal Kamra said he was neither sorry nor regretful of his actions, hours after IndiGo's internal panel decided to reduce the flying ban to three months.

The reduction in ban period was informed by Indigo to the Delhi High Court on Thursday.

"I have no comment to offer on IndiGo banning me for 3 months instead of the 6 months now," Kamra said in a Facebook post.

In a statement, IndiGo said the airline's internal committee after hearing both parties passed an order.

Pursuant to the order, Kamra has been suspended from flying for a period of three months. "IndiGo will comply with the order of the iternal committee," it added.

"I trust the IndiGo pilot's e mail & social media has helped explain why I did what I did. All I'd like to say is that I am neither sorry nor regretful of my actions," Kamra said in the post.

IndiGo had last month suspended Kamra from flying with the private airline for six months, after he allegedly heckled journalist Arnab Goswami aboard one of its planes.

Kamra thereafter approached the Delhi High Court against his suspension.

-- PTI

00:36 Have footage of Delhi riots? Share with police

Delhi Police on Thursday issued an appeal requesting people, including media persons, to come forward and give their statements and share video footage in connection with the violence in northeast Delhi.

The appeal read, 'Whereas incidents of clashes have taken place in the northeast district, Delhi since February 23. All those who are witnesses to the incidents or have captured any activity on their mobile phones or camera, are hereby requested to come forward and give their statements, footage and picture in their possession at DCP office, northeast district, Seelampur, Delhi, during office hours, on any working day within seven days.'

Police said witnesses can also contact on mobile numbers -- 8750871221, 8750871227 -- to share information. The identity of the witnesses will be kept secret, they said. -- PTI

Timeline Refresh

TOP STORIES