LIVE! Akhil Gogoi tests Covid +ive in Guwahati jail

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Sat, 11 July 2020

Akhil Gogoi tests Covid +ive in Guwahati jail

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23:19 Akhil Gogoi tests Covid +ive in Guwahati jail

Peasant leader Akhil Gogoi, who was arrested by the National Investigation Agency for his alleged role in violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act last year, tested positive for novel coronavirus inside the Guwahati Central Jail on Saturday, an official said.

A total of 55 inmates, including Gogoi, have tested positive at the jail, forcing the authorities to issue orders for taking samples of all the 1,069 prisoners.

"Akhil Gogoi tested positive in the antigen test this evening. He will be shifted to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) now," Inspector General (Prisons) Dasarath Das told PTI.

The health officials did three tests of Gogoi -- two antigen and one swab test (RT-PCR) -- and only the last antigen sample came positive, Das said.

Two others -- Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) leaders Bittu Sonowal and Dhairjya Konwar -- have also tested positive and are being treated at the GMCH, while Gogoi's fourth associate, Manash Konwar, has tested negative, Das said.

He stated that a total of 55 inmates inside the jail had tested positive so far and they had been shifted to three hospitals in the city.

"After this increased number, we have now ordered to test all inmates of the jail," the IG said.

Civil society groups, eminent persons and opposition parties have been long demanding the release of Gogoi, citing the the COVID-19 pandemic.

Gogoi was arrested on December 12 from Jorhat as a 'preventive measure' in view of the deteriorating law and order situation in the state during the protests against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act and his colleagues were taken into custody later.

Reading 'Communist Manifesto', Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and Lenin's works, Mao Zedong's life, and calling friends 'comrade' and greeting them with 'Lal Salaam' are few of the grounds the NIA found to charge Gogoi and his three accomplices with terror activities under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. -- PTI

Photograph: Kind courtesy Amitabh Bachchan/Instagram

22:58 Amitabh Bachchan tests positive for Covid-19

Actor Amitabh Bachchan has been infected with coronavirus and admitted to Nanavati hospital in Mumbai.

In a tweet, the actor said, 'Have tested CoviD positive .. shifted to Hospital .. hospital informing authorities .. family and staff undergone tests , results awaited .. All that have been in close proximity to me in the last 10 days are requested to please get themselves tested!'

21:33 One-week lockdown in Bengaluru from July 14

With a spike in COVID-19 cases, the Karnataka government on Saturday announced complete lockdown in Bengaluru urban and rural for one week from July 14.

'As COVID-19 cases are increasing in the state day by day, based on the advice of experts complete lockdown will be imposed in Bengaluru urban and Bengaluru rural for one week from July 14 Tuesday 8 pm to 5 am on July 22,' Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa said in a statement.

During this period hospitals facilities, groceries, milk, vegetables, medicines and other daily use items will be available, also already scheduled medical exams will be held.

Asking people to join hands in controlling COVID-19 by remaining at home during the lockdown, he said, 'While going to purchase daily use items, maintain social distance, wear masks, and follow all the guidelines related to lockdown.'

Yediyurappa complemented the efforts of COVID-19 warriors like Asha workers, doctors, medical staff, police, officials, media and others who are working to control the spread of virus.

As of July 11 evening, cumulatively 36,216 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 613 deaths and 14,716 discharges, a government bulletin said.

Bengaluru urban district tops the list of positive cases, with a total of 16,862 infections. -- PTI

Patidar leader Hardik Patel was appointed the new working president of the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee on Saturday.

'Congress president has approved the proposal of the appointment of Hardik Patel as the working president of Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee with immediate effect,' an official communication from the party said.

Patel, 26, participated and led the Patidar reservation agitation in Gujarat.

He joined the Congress on March 12, 2019, but did not contest the Lok Sabha election that year. -- PTI

Congress leaders on Saturday performed a 'purification' ritual at the entry gate of Mahakaltemple in Madhya Pradesh's Ujjain alleging slain gangster Vikas Dubey was made to surrender on the campus of the famous shrine as per a 'conspiracy' on Thursday.

Dubey was arrested outside the temple after purchasing prasad and an entry ticket to the shrine.

He was killed in an encounter by the UP Police after he tried to flee following a road accident at Barra area in Kanpur on Friday morning.

A group of leaders of the Congress performed 'purification' by chanting mantras and sprinkling Ganga jal (water of the Ganga river which is considered holy) at 'Shankh Dwar' of the temple, said former minister and MLA Sajjan Singh Verma.

"We performed purification as a dreaded criminal had entered the Mahakaleshwar temple," he said.

However, it was not clear if Dubey was arrested immediately, before he could enter the temple, or later when he came out of the temple after performing darshan.

Verma alleged Dubey was made to surrender on the campus of the temple under a conspiracy.

"State Home Minister Narottam Mishra has been making false claims that Vikas Dubey was arrested on the basis of intelligence input. What was this intelligence doing when Dubey travelled a lot of distance in MP before reaching Ujjain...The BJP government in the state is protecting criminals," he alleged.

The Congress had on Thursday demanded a high-level probe into Dubey's 'safe exit' from Kanpur and the sequence of events leading to his arrest in Ujjain.

The notorious criminal had been on the run since eight policemen were killed allegedly by his henchmen when they tried to raid his house in Kanpur district on July 3.

Reacting to the allegations raised by the Congress, state Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Rajneesh Agrawal said the opposition party should not drag Mahakal temple into politics.

"Law and order situation was very bad when the Congress was in power in the state. On the contrary, law and order has been a top priority of the ruling BJP," he said.

Agrawal alleged that mafia cartels thrived whenever Congress helmed the state, first under Digvijay Singh and later under Kamal Nath, whose government collapsed in March this year. -- PTI

Rajasthan Additional Director General Ashok Kumar Rathore

20:33 2 held for 'trying to topple' Rajasthan govt

Hours after Congress leader Mahesh Joshi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to poach MLAs of the ruling party in Rajasthan, the Special Operations Group (SOG) on Saturday arrested two persons in connection with alleged attempts to destabilise state government, Rajasthan Additional Director General Ashok Kumar Rathore said.

Identified as Bharat Malani and Ashok Singh, the two are being interrogated and will be produced before a court, Rathore said.

Earlier, in a statement, signed by Joshi, the Congress had alleged that the BJP was trying to poach its MLAs by trying to lure them in different ways.

It said similar attempts were made during the Rajya Sabha bypolls last month.

"BJP is terrified due to investigation (by Special Ops Group). They are involved in horse-trading as seen in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. They tried in Rajasthan too but bit the dust. The investigation will unearth the truth," Joshi said while speaking to ANI. -- ANI

Uttar Pradesh government has ordered that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) will conduct the investigation in cases related to gangster Vikas Dubey who was killed in an encounter.

The SIT will be headed by Additional Chief Secretary Sanjay Bhoosreddy.

Additional Director General of Police Hariram Sharma and Deputy Inspector General J Raveendra Gour will be members of the team.

The newly constituted SIT will have to submit its report by July 31.

Vikas Dubey was arrested by the police in Ujjain on Thursday morning.

He was on the run and had come to the city to offer prayers at a temple, where he was identified by a security guard.

He was killed in an encounter by the Uttar Pradesh Police on Friday after he 'attempted to flee'.

The gangster was the main accused in the encounter that took place in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur last week, in which a group of assailants opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest him.

Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter. -- ANI

The United Nation's cultural agency has voiced deep regret over Turkey's decision, made without prior discussion, to convert Istanbul's iconic sixth-century Hagia Sophia into a mosque, saying its status as a museum reflects the universal nature of its heritage and makes it a powerful symbol for dialogue.

The ancient Hagia Sophia was founded around 1,500 years ago as a cathedral and is widely regarded as the foremost example of Byzantine Christian architecture in the world.

Following the rise of the Ottoman Empire, it became a mosque, but in 1934, was designated a secular museum, shared by Christians, Muslims and those of all faiths or none, alike.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree following years of campaigning by a cultural association, and the decision earlier in the day by a Turkish court, handing control of the building over to the nation's religious directorate, allowing it to reopen for worship as a mosque, the UN said in a statement.

Hagia Sophia is an architectural masterpiece and a unique testimony to interactions between Europe and Asia over the centuries.

Its status as a museum reflects the universal nature of its heritage, and makes it a powerful symbol for dialogue, UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said in a statement on Friday.

Azoulay said that the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) "deeply regrets the decision of the Turkish authorities, made without prior discussion, to change the status of Hagia Sophia and shared her serious concern with the Ambassador of Turkey to the UN cultural agency.

Responding to questions on the issue, UN spokesperson Stphane Dujarric said at his daily press briefing that the UN Secretary-General fully backs UNESCO.

They have the primary responsibility within the UN system on dealing with the maintenance of these global heritage sites.

So, they are rightly in the lead, and we are supporting them, he said. -- PTI

18:52 Cong MPs seek Rahul's return as party chief

Congress Lok Sabha MPs on Saturday raised the demand for Rahul Gandhi's return as party chief.

They made the demand at a virtual meeting called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi to discuss current political developments.

Sources said several party MPs made the demand at the meeting. They included Kerala MPs Kodikunnil Suresh and Anto Antony, Manickam Tagore (Tamil Nadu), Gaurav Gogoi, and Abdul Khaleque (Assam), Mohammad Jawed (Bihar) and Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka (Odisha).

Rahul Gandhi, who represents Wayanad in Kerala and was present at the meeting, did not speak when the demand was made.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had made the demand for Rahul Gandhi's return to the post at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting last month.

Senior leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh also said in tweets on Saturday that real issue that the 'Congress party must urgently address is to revive party institutions -- from booth level to the All India Congress Committee (AICC)'.

"This is the crux of the matter and this is the challenge before Soniaji Rahulji and Priyankaji. I am certain they would do it. The whole Congress party, young old everyone stands behind you and are ready to make whatever sacrifice you demand. So Rahulji please lead," Singh said.

Despite the growing demands, Rahul Gandhi has indicated he may not return to the post anytime soon.

"You, please read my letter that I wrote one year ago on that issue," Gandhi had said last month in response to a question about his taking the post again.

Rahul Gandhi had resigned as party chief after Congress debacle in 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Sonia Gandhi was elected as interim chief on August 10 last year. The CWC is expected to meet soon and demands may again be made for Rahul Gandhi to take over as party chief.

If he does not agree, the party is expected to urge Sonia Gandhi to continue as interim chief.

Rahul Gandhi has been leading the party's attack against the Narendra Modi government on a range of issues including its handling of COVID-19 situation, border tensions with China and the rise in the price of petroleum prices.

These issues also came up for discussion during Sonia Gandhi's meeting with Lok Sabha MPs, sources said. -- ANI

Nine days after they were inducted into the Madhya Pradesh cabinet, 28 ministers will finally get portfolios on July 12.

The delay in assigning ministries had triggered speculations about an internecine conflict in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party over accommodating loyalists of Jyotiraditya Scindia, whose exit from the Congress along with 22 MLAs led to collapse of Kamal Nath-led government in March this year, in the cabinet.

"I will do it tomorrow (Sunday)," Chouhan told reporters in Gwalior when asked about the delay in allocating portfolios.

After expanding his cabinet for the second time on July 2, Chouhan met top brass of the BJP in New Delhi apparently to discuss the portfolio allocation, which has become a political tightrope in the presence of assertive Scindia.

The 28 ministers comprise at least a dozen loyalists of Scindia.

Their induction in the cabinet reportedly caused heartburn in ministerial aspirants in the state BJP.

The initial 'mini' expansion of the Chouhan cabinettook place on April 21 with the induction of five ministers,including two former Congress MLAs, over a month after Chouhantook oath as the CM for the record fourth term.

Meanwhile, taking potshots at the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress veteran Digvijay Singh tweeted: '8 days of cabinet expansion completed in Madhya Pradesh. CM's workout on allocation of departments doesn't seem to be over.

'Has Tiger become a toothless? Let us see who runs away from his territory!'

Speaking after the cabinet expansion on Thursday, Scindia had said he wanted to tell Congress leaders that 'Tiger abhi zinda hai'. -- PTI

Security forces at India-Pakistan border have been put on high alert after an intelligence input revealed that terrorists are trying to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir to carry out 'action'.

According to the input, 'There is likely presence of armed terrorists in Bhimber Gali and Naushera sectors with an intention to infiltrate to carry out BAT (Border Action Team) action.'

Sources in intelligence agencies have told ANI that input has been shared with forces and Border Security Force (BSF) to keep a close watch on activities in these areas.

Forces suspect that the BAT of Pakistan Army is facilitating terrorists to carry out action soon. There have been movements of terrorists towards the Indian side.

Pakistan's BAT consists of its army commandos and terrorists belonging to various terror outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Tayiba etc.

BAT has started targeting civilians as well. In January, the group killed a civilian identified as Mohammad Aslam whose headless and mutilated body was found near the LoC in Poonch district.

"There was no such input over the past few weeks but after the input which has come hours back, forces have been alerted, especially in two sectors. Patrolling has been enhanced and there will be extra deployments during the night.

"Any misadventures of Pakistan will be responded effectively," a senior BSF official told ANI.

"During this season, BAT facilitates terrorists to infiltrate into India. After getting them trained at various known locations, BAT and other Pakistani agencies send them near the border and when they fail in multiple attempts, they plan action with these terrorists to facilitate them," a senior government official said.

Last week, the Indian Army on the basis of specific intelligence inputs from Jammu and Kashmir Police, in a joint operation, eliminated a terrorist close to the LoC in Keri area of Bhimber Gali sector in Jammu division's Rajouri district.

Earlier today, two terrorists were killed in an ambush by the Indian Army at Nougam sector in north Kashmir along the LoC.

The Army recovered arms and ammunition, along with Pakistani currency. -- Ankur Sharma/ANI

17:30 2 aides of Vikas Dubey held in Thane

Two absconding aides of slain gangster Vikas Dubey have been arrested by the ATS from Thanein Maharashtra, an official said on Saturday.

The accused Arvind alias Guddan Trivedi and his driver Sonu Tiwari are wanted in connection with recent killing of eight police personnel in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur district and also in the 2001 murder of minister of state Santosh Shukla, he said.

A team of Juhu unit of Mumbai ATS arrested the duo from Kolshet in neighbouring Thane, he said. -- PTI

16:46

Market cap on July 10.

16:33 Jharkhand CM, wife being tested for COVID-19

The swab samples of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, his wife Kalpana and officials working in the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) were collected on Saturday for COVID-19 tests, a statement said.

Health workers took swab samples of the chief minister, his wife Kalpana Soren, Press Adviser Abhishek Prasad, senior personal secretary Sunil Srivastav and other officials and police officers working in the CMO, the statement from the CMO said.

Soren has quarantined himself at his Ranchi residence since July 8 after coming in contact with Drinking and Sanitation Minister Mithilesh Thakur and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MLA Mathura Mahato, who have tested positive for COVID-19.

Both Thakur and Mahato are being treated at the state-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi.

COVID-19 tests should be conducted on the maximum number of people, particularly those showing the slightest of the symptoms, to treat them as well as to curb the spread of the infection, Soren was quoted as saying in the statement. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday appreciated the efforts of the Centre, state and local authorities in containing the COVID-19 situation in Delhi and directed that similar approach be adopted with other state governments in checking the pandemic in the entire NCR.

He made these remarks at a meeting to review the coronavirus situation in the country, a statement from the Prime Minister's Office said.

The prime minister reiterated the need to observe personal hygiene and social discipline in public places.

Modi said the awareness about the pandemic should be disseminated widely and a continuous emphasis on preventing the spread of the infection should be laid.

He said there is no room for any complacency in this regard, according to the statement.

Modi also directed that real-time national level monitoring and guidance should be provided to all affected states and places with high test positivity rate.

'The prime minister appreciated the concerted efforts of the Centre, state and local authorities in containing the pandemic situation in Delhi,' the statement said.

'He further directed that a similar approach should be adopted with other state governments in containing the COVID-19 pandemic in the entire NCR area,' it said.

The review meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and the cabinet secretary among others.

During the meet, the 'successful example' of surveillance and home-based care through 'Dhanvantri Rath' in Ahmedabad was highlighted and it was directed that it may be emulated in other places, the statement said. -- PTI

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday alleged that amid the coronavirus pandemic, Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have 'gone beyond humanity' and are engaged in toppling his government, but exuded confidence that the Congress dispensation will complete its five-year term.

He said that BJP leaders have 'crossed the limit of shamelessness' and were doing politics like 'bakra-mandi' (goat-market).

"The government in Rajasthan is stable, will remain stable and will last five years," Gehlot said at a press conference in Jaipur.

He alleged that Leader of Opposition Gulab Chand Kataria, Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore and BJP state president Satish Poonia were executing the agenda of their party's central leadership.

"Amid the crisis posed by the coronavirus pandemic, BJP leaders have gone beyond humanity and are engaged in toppling the government," the chief minister said.

The BJP has sabotaged governments in several states. It now wants to play the same game in Rajasthan, that it did in Madhya Pradesh, Gehlot said.

"But they have been exposed and people will give the BJP a befitting reply at the right time," he added. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated his Singaporean counterpart and leader of the People's Action Party Lee Hsien Loong for securing a clear mandate in the general elections.

Singapore Prime Minister Loong's party won 83 of the 93 contested parliamentary seats in the general election.

'Congratulations to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong for success in the General Elections. Best wishes to the people of Singapore for a peaceful and prosperous future,' Modi wrote on Twitter.

The ruling party, in power since independence in 1965, secured 61.24 per cent of the total votes cast in Friday's election. -- PTI

14:25 Delhi govt cancels upcoming sem, final exams

The Delhi government has decided to cancel all forthcoming semester and finals exams of universities under it due to the COVID-19 situation, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Saturday.

Sisodia said these state universities have been asked to promote their students and award them degrees adopting some methodology of evaluation.

He said studies in the universities were disrupted due to the pandemic, and it was not possible to conduct examinations.

Unprecedented times require unprecedented decisions, Sisodia added. -- PTI

Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a meeting with the party's Lok Sabha MPs through video conferencing on Saturday and is learnt to have discussed with them the COVID-19 situation in the country.

According to sources, she also discussed the current political situation and the key issues that would be raised by the Congress in the next Parliament session where the party will seek to corner the government on the handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the Sino-India standoff at Ladakh.

The Congress has been critical of the BJP-led government over various issues, especially its handling of the pandemic as COVID-19 cases have risen exponentially after the easing of the lockdown, and the situation at the border with China in eastern Ladakh where 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a violent standoff with Chinese troops on June 15.

The Congress has also been slamming the government not granting financial relief to the poor.

It has demanded cash transfer into bank accounts of the poor and deprived sections.

The party has also been raising the issue of rise in petrol and diesel prices and demanded reduction in fuel charges after slack in global crude oil price. -- PTI

United States President Donald Trump said in an interview with the Washington Post daily that he did not want the United States to leave North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, however, the allies had to pay their contributions.

Former White House National Security Adviser John Bolton has claimed in his recent book, The Room Where It Happened, that Trump wanted to threaten NATO leaders at the 2018 summit with a US withdrawal from the alliance if other NATO members did not pay contributions of 2 per cent of their GDPs.

According to the former adviser, he and the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo decided to convince the president to stay in the bloc, but, possibly reduce US contributions.

Eventually, Trump did as Bolton advised him -- declared his support for NATO -- but criticised those member states that still had small defence budgets.

In an interview with the Washington Post's Marc Thiessen, Trump noted that even 2 per cent of GDP was also 'too little'.

"I had some that were paying almost nothing, and now they're paying. And they asked me the big question: Would you leave if -- and I said, 'Yeah, I would leave.' And if you don't give that answer, they're not going to pay," the US President said, as quoted by the media outlet.

When asked whether he really wanted the US to exit NATO, Trump said, "No, I don't want to leave. But I want them to pay their fair share."

NATO states agreed in the Brussels Summit Declaration, signed in July 2014, to raise their defence spending to 2 percent of their respective GDP figures by 2024, something which a lot of allies have struggled to achieve. -- Sputnik/ ANI

13:48 Strict lockdown imposed across UP till July 13

Most of the cities in Uttar Pradesh look deserted on Saturday morning, after more than 50 hours strict lockdown was imposed in the state to fight the rising number of COVID-19 cases.

The lockdown that began on July 10 at 10 pm will continue till July 13, 5 am.

The police blocked a number of areas across several cities with heavy barricades.

Most of the shops remain closed. Only those selling essential items like milk, fruits, vegetables and other grocery items remain opened.

People are mostly indoors and were out of home only when required.In several parts, the police also checked identity cards of those out of their homes for their daily chores.

Those found roaming around without any purpose were sent back.Speaking to ANI, a Prayagraj local said, "It was a good decision by the Yogi Adityanath government. The step was necessary to control the virus and was done for the benefit of the public.

"While the government is doing its best, people must also stay indoors as much as possible to fight the pandemic. Am out of my home to buy medicines for my mother, otherwise, I would have stayed home."

"The decision to impose lockdown since March was a good decision as peoples' lives are precious. However, people have faced a lot of difficulties. The tenant in my shop has decided to leave as he was unable to pay rent. His business has been affected. Also, I was forced to sack by labour as I was unable to pay him a salary," said another Prayagraj resident.

As per the Union health ministry, there are 32,362 confirmed cases in Uttar Pradesh, of whom 21,127 have recovered and 862 people have lost their lives due to the pandemic. -- ANI

A notice which claims that a COVID-19 monitoring committee has been formed is fake, and no such committee has been set up by the Union home ministry, as per spokesperson, ministry of home affairs (MHA).

The 'fake' MHA order stated, 'Pursuant to the official orders received dated: Monday, May 18, 2020, of the Honourable Minister of Home Affairs, passed in the approval of Special Status Advisory Committee for COVID-19, a COVID-19 Monitoring Committee has been constituted in the MHA vide order dated: Friday, June 12, 2020.'

MHA spokesperson also cautioned people to beware of fake news and rumours.

India's COVID-19 case count crossed the eight lakh-mark on Saturday with yet another highest single-day spike of 27,114 new cases in the last 24 hours. -- ANI

Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing that continued overnight along the International Border (IB) in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Saturday.

Firing on the border outpost in Kotha area started around 10.30 pm on Friday, drawing effective retaliation by the Border Security Force guarding the IB, they said.

The officials said the exchange of fire between the two sides continued till 4.15 am but there was no report of any casualty or damage on the Indian side.

However, it caused panic among the border residents who were forced to spend the night in underground bunkers, the officials said. -- PTI

12:13 Kanpur ambush: 2 held for sheltering criminals

Police in Kanpur on Friday arrested two persons with criminal backgrounds for helping to hide two wanted criminals at their residences in Madhya Pradesh's Gwalior in connection with the Kanpur encounter case.

The arrested persons have been identified as -- Om Prakash Pandey and Anil Pandey who helped to hide two wanted criminals -- Shashikant Pandey and Shivam Dubey.

Further action is being taken.

Kanpur encounter case main accused Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter with the police on Friday.

Vikas Dubey was arrested by the police in Ujjain on Thursday morning.

He was on the run for the last several days and had come to Ujjain to offer prayers at the temple, where he was identified by a security guard at the shrine.

The gangster was the main accused in the encounter that took place in Bikru village in Chaubeypur area of Kanpur last week, in which a group of assailants allegedly opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest Dubey.

Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter. -- ANI

12:13 Kanpur ambush: 2 held for sheltering criminals

The arrested persons have been identified as -- Om Prakash Pandey and Anil Pandey who helped to hide two wanted criminals -- Shashikant Pandey and Shivam Dubey.

Further action is being taken.

Kanpur encounter case main accused Vikas Dubey was killed in an encounter with the police on Friday.

Vikas Dubey was arrested by the police in Ujjain on Thursday morning.

He was on the run for the last several days and had come to Ujjain to offer prayers at the temple, where he was identified by a security guard at the shrine.

Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter. -- ANI

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cut the repo rate by 250 basis points since February 2019 to alleviate liquidity stress and provide financial stability in the economy, said Governor Shaktikanta Das on Saturday.

Till the onset of COVID-19 in February this year, the RBI has cut the repo rate by 135 basis points.

"From February 2019 onwards, on a cumulative basis, we had cut the repo rate by 250 basis points till the onset of COVID-19. That was done mainly to tackle the slowdown in growth which was visible at that time and we had elaborately touched upon its in our MPC Resolutions," Das said while delivering the keynote address at the 7th SBI Banking and Economics Conclave.

"COVID-19 is the worst health and economic crisis in the last 100 years with unprecedented negative consequences for output, jobs and well being. It dented the existing world order, global value chains, labour and capital movements across the globe," he added.

"COVID-19 pandemic perhaps represents so far the biggest test of robustness and resilience of our economic and financial system," Das said.

This may result in higher non-performing assets (NPAs) and capital erosion of banks, the RBI Governor said. -- ANI

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor took a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday, saying this is time to fight the coronavirus not elections and that he should not endanger people's lives in a "hurry" to hold the assembly polls.

"The coronavirus situation in Bihar is worsening like it is in many other states of the country. But a big part of government machinery and resources are busy making preparation for the polls.

"Nitish Kumar ji, this isn't time to fight elections but the coronavirus. Don't endanger people's lives in this hurry to hold the polls," he tweeted.

Kishor, once a confidant of the JD-) president before he turned a critic and was expelled from the party, joins leaders like LJP chief Chirag Paswan and RJD's Tejashwi Yadav in suggesting that the Bihar assembly polls should be deferred due to the pandemic.

Polls in Bihar are due in October-November but the Election Commission has so far not made any official announcement about its schedule.

The BJP and the JD-U have been holding organisational meetings and said that they are ready for the elections. -- PTI

Two terrorrists were killed on Saturday as the army foiled an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control in Naugam sector of Jammu and Kashmir, a defence spokesperson said.

Early in the morning, suspicious movement was detected by the troops along the Line of Control at Naugam sector in north Kashmir's Kupwara district, defence spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said.

The troops swiftly launched an ambush which led to the killing of the two terrorrists, he said, adding that two AK-47 rifles and war-like stores were seized from the spot. -- PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his assertion that the Rewa Ultra Mega Solar project in Madhya Pradesh is the largest in Asia.

Prime Minister Modi on Friday launched the 750 MW solar project in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh through video-conferencing.

"Asatyagrahi" (which roughly translates to 'one who does not believe in the struggle for truth'), said Gandhi on Twitter, tagging a tweet by the Prime Minister's Office which quoted Modi as saying that Rewa has been identified with Narmada and white tigers, but now the name of Asia's largest solar power project has also been added to it.

D K Shivakumar, the Congress' Karnataka unit chief and a former energy minister in the state, had on Friday said, "Union Power Minister must answer as to how the Central government can claim that the Rewa Solar Park (750 MW) opened today is Asia's largest when clearly the Pavagada Park in Karnataka is much larger (2,000 MW) and was opened two years back!" -- PTI

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant has ruled out the possibility of imposing further lockdowns in the coastal state, which is grappling with the rise in COVID-19 cases.

Speaking to a TV channel on Friday, Sawant said the process of unlocking has started and priority should be given to resume economic activities.

"The lockdown was initially imposed to create awareness and educate people about coronavirus. That phase has passed now," he said.

As on Friday, Goa has recorded 2,151 cases of COVID-19, including nine deaths and 1,347 recoveries. -- PTI

Six insurgents were killed in an encounter with security forces in Khonsa area of Arunachal Pradesh in the early hours of Saturday, military sources said.

One soldier of Assam Rifles was injured in the operation and he is being evacuated to a military hospital, they said.

All the insurgents killed in the operation are likely to be from Naga militant outfit NSCN(IM), the sources said.

The encounter took place around 4:30 am, they said, adding six weapons along with war-like stores were recovered from the area. -- PTI

Image: A view of weapons recovered from the insurgents.

Taking aim at the Bharatiya Janaata Party, Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar has said that politicians should not take voters for granted as even powerful leaders like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been defeated in elections.

Criticising former Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over his 'Mi punha yein' (I will come back) slogan during the last year's assembly polls, Pawar said that voters thought that this stance smacked of arrogance and felt that they should be taught a lesson.

Pawar also said that that there was not an "iota of truth" in reports about differences in the three ruling allies -- the Shiv Sena, the NCP and the Congress -- that are part of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi.

The former Union minister said this in an interview by Shiv Sena leader and executive editor of party mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

The first of the three-part interview series was published in the Marathi daily on Saturday.

This is for the first time that a non-Shiv Sena leader has featured in a marathon interview series in the party mouthpiece.

It has so far published marathon interviews of late Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray.

Replying to a query over BJP's defeat in the last assembly polls in the state, Pawar said, "In a democracy, you cannot think that you will remain in power eternally. Voters will not tolerate if they are taken for granted. Powerful leaders mass base with like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee had been defeated.

"It means that in terms of the democratic rights, the common man is wiser than the politicians. If we politicians cross the line, he teaches us a lesson. Therefore, people do not like the stand that 'we will come back to power'," he said.

"No politician should take people for granted. Nobody should take a stand that he would return to power. People thought that this stand smacks of arrogance and hence feeling grew among them that they should be taught a lesson," Pawar said.

He said the change of government in Maharashtra was not an accident.

"People of Maharashtra voted in line of the sentiment prevailing in the country during the national elections. But the mood changed during the assembly polls. Even though BJP did well in the Lok Sabha polls, it fared poorly in assembly elections in different states. Even people of Maharashtra voted for a change," he said.

Replying to a query over his reported differences with CM Thackeray on the lockdown in the state, Pawar said, "Absolutely not. What differences? For what? During the entire period of lockdown, I have had excellent communication with the chief minister and continue to do so."

Pawar, who played a key role in bringing together the Sena, the Congress and the NCP for formation of government in the state in November last year, blamed the media and said sarcastically that the news gathering activity had been hit by the coronavirus-induced lockdown and they had the responsibility to fill the pages of newspapers.

"I have been reading reports of growing differences among the three allies, but there is not an iota of truth in that," he said.

Speaking about the style of functioning of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and Uddhav Thackeray, Pawar said, "Although Balasaheb was never in the seat of power, he was the driving force behind the power. He got power in Maharashtra due to his ideology.

"Today, the government is not because of the ideology. But the responsibility of implementing that power now lies with Uddhav Thackeray," he said. -- PTI

10:18 India records 27,114 new Covid cases in 24 hrs

India's COVID-19 tally on Saturday increased by record 27,114 in last 24 hours, taking total number of cases to 8,20,916, the Union health ministry said.

The country also reported 519 new fatalities to take the death toll to 22,123.

The number of recoveries stands at 5,15,386 while there are 2,83,407 active cases of coronavirus infection presently in the country, the health ministry data showed.

A major fire broke out at a shopping mall in suburban Borivali in Mumbai early on Saturday, but there was no report of any casualty or injury, a fire brigade official said.

The fire brigade received the call about the blaze in the basement of Indraprastha Mall on S V Road in Borivali West around 3 am, he said.

"The mall is a three-storey structure, excluding the basement. The fire started from the basement and spread to the two floors," he said.

The official said that the blaze was initially categorised as level-2 fire, but was tagged as level-3 around 4 am and then level-4 at 6.25 am.

In level-4 fire, at least 16 engines are roped in for the firefighting operation.

"Thick black smoke enveloped the surrounding area and it was visible from a distance," the official said.

The fire-fighting operation is still on, he said. -- PTI

The wife of gangster Vikas Dubey, who was killed in a police encounter Friday, said her husband was "wrong" and deserved "this fate", as his last rites were conducted here amid tight security.

Richa, who came at the Bhairoghat to attend the cremation, also expressed her anger at mediapersons, at times allegedly shouting at them.

Superintendent of Police, Rural, Brijesh Srivastava told reporters that Dubey's brother- in- law Dinesh Tiwari performed the last rites at the electric crematorium in the presence of his wife and son.

Dubey was shot dead Friday morning by police, who claim he was trying to flee after the car carrying him from Ujjain overturned on an isolated stretch of the highway on the outskirts of the city. Dubey had allegedly masterminded the killing of eight policemen on July 2 when they were going to arrest him at his Bikru village.

When asked about these incidents and if she thought her husband deserved such an end, an agitated Richa said, Yes, yes, yes. Vikas did wrong and he deserved this fate.

She also allegedly shouted at mediapersons and asked them to leave the place. She also allegedly misbehaved with them and used foul language, even holding them responsible for the encounter killing of her husband.

After the last rites, policewomen took Richa and her son in their vehicle and left for an undisclosed location. No police official was ready to speak whether they were let off.

Vikas' father Ram Kumar Dubey had distanced himself and had justified police action. Whatever police did was right, he had said earlier in the day.

When asked if he would attend the cremation, he had said, I will not attend the last rites.

Dinesh Tiwari, who performed the last rites, was earlier detained for questioning by the police immediately after the killing of eight policemen, including Deputy SP Devendra Kumar Mishra.

The cremation was performed amidst heavy police presence. Heavy police force headed by SP city East, Raj Kumar Agarwal, was deployed around Bhairoghat .

Principal of Ganesh Shankar Vidhyarthi Medical College Dr RB Kamal had told mediapersons that Dubey was brought dead to the hospital.

"Dubey sustained four bullet injuries, three in the upper part (chest) and one in the hand," Kamal had said.

Dubey's other relatives and neighbours shunned the gangster in his death and did not turn up for cremation, despite police request. -- PTI

09:32 Psoriasis injection okayed for Covid treatment

India's drug regulator has approved Itolizumab, used to cure skin ailment psoriasis, for restricted emergency use on COVID-19 patients with moderate to severe acute respiratory distress, officials said.

Considering the unmet medical needs to treat COVID-19, Drugs Controller General of India Dr V G Somani approved monoclonal antibody injection Itolizumab for restricted emergency use for the treatment of 'cytokine' release syndrome in moderate to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome patients due to COVID-19, they said on Friday.

"The approval was given after its clinical trials on COVID-19 patients in India was found satisfactory by the expert committee comprising pulmonologists, pharmacologists and medicine experts from AIIMS, among others, for treatment of cytokine release syndrome," an official told PTI.

"It is already an approved drug of Biocon for treating psoriasis for last many years," the official said.

Written informed consent of each patient is required before the use of this drug, he said. -- PTI

09:22 Singapore PM Lee returns to power

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has secured a "clear mandate" with his ruling People's Action Party winning 83 of the 93 contested parliamentary seats in the general election held amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Opposition gaining ground by winning a record 10 seats.

The ruling party, in power since independence in 1965, secured 61.24 per cent of the total votes cast in the election, down from 69.9 per cent in 2015.

About 2.6 million Singaporeans voted on Friday.

"We have a clear mandate, but the percentage of the popular vote is not as high as I had hoped for," 68-year old Lee told a PAP's post-results press conference on Saturday morning.

The opposition Workers' Party secured 10 seats and defeated a team in the Group Representation Constituency of Sengkang led by former Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Ng Chee Meng who is also the Secretary-General of the power National Trades Union Congress.

The prime minister assured it is "only right" that Workers' Party's Indian-origin secretary-general Pritam Singh be "formally designated" as the Leader of the Opposition, and that he will be provided with "appropriate staff support and resources to perform his duties".

Lee took the results in "these circumstances" as an "endorsement" of the party's policies and plans as he had called the elections amidst COVID-19 pandemic.

"We'll take this forward and work with Singapore to realise those plans and solve the problems which we have," Channel News Asia quoted the premier as saying.

Lee, who leads the PAP as secretary-general, said, Singaporeans understand what's at stake and why we must come together to uphold our national interests.

He pledged to use this mandate "responsibly" to deal with the COVID-19 situation and economic downturn, to take Singapore "safely through the crisis and beyond".

"The results reflect the pain and uncertainty that Singaporeans feel in this crisis, the loss of income, the anxiety about jobs, the disruption caused by the circuit breaker and the safe distancing restrictions," he said. -- PTI

09:02 Trump rules out phase 2 trade deal with China

United States President Donald Trump has for the time being ruled out a second phase trade deal with China, saying the relationship between the two countries has been severely damaged with Beijing's handling of the coronavirus outbreak.

"The relationship with China has been severely damaged. I don't think about it now," Trump told reporters on Friday from Air Force One when asked about the trade deal.

Earlier in the year, the Trump adminstration had signed a mega phase one deal with China, after intense negotiations between the two countries.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have spiralled downward since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

US President Donald Trump has questioned the Asian powerhouse's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The two countries have also sparred over China imposing a new national security law in Hong Kong, restrictions on American journalists, treatment of Uyghurs Muslims and security measures in Tibet.

"Relationship with China has been severely damaged. They could have stopped the plague, they could have stopped it, (but) they didn't stop it. They stopped it from going into the remaining portions of China from Wuhan province. They could have stopped the plague, they didn't," Trump said.

The coronavirus, which first emerged in China's Wuhan city, has claimed over 1,30,000 lives in the US with 3.1 million confirmed cases.

The virus toll in China stands at 4,641 with nearly 85,000 confirmed infections. -- PTI

Over 20 Congress MLAs in Rajasthan late Friday night alleged the Bharatiya Janata Party was trying to topple the Ashok Gehlot government in the state by "luring" legislators, and that the top leadership of the saffron party was involved in the "conspiracy".

There was no immediate reaction from the BJP on the charges.

Without naming anyone, the Congress MLAs in a joint statement alleged that the BJP leadership is trying to "mislead" the Congress and supporting party MLAs by contacting and luring them in different manners.

"But Congress MLAs and legislators who are in support of the government will not let this attempt be successful," said the joint statement issued on behalf of 24 MLAs, and signed by chief whip Mahesh Joshi and deputy chief whip Mahendra Chaudhary.

The MLAs alleged that similar unsuccessful attempts of poaching Congress and the supporting MLAs were made during the Rajya Sabha polls last month, and the BJP is once again conspiring to weaken and topple the democratically-elected government in Rajasthan.

They condemned the alleged attempts and expressed commitment that such forces will be defeated.

"The MLAs have said that no one can shake their integrity by giving any temptation. The Congress government in Rajasthan will complete its five-year term," the statement said.

In the assembly of 200, the Congress has 107 MLAs and has the support of independent MLAs and legislators of other parties like the Rashtriya Lok Dal, the Communist Party of India-Marxist and the Bhartiya Tribal Party.

Ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections for two seats in the state last month, chief minister Ashok Gehlot and government chief whip Mahesh Joshi had alleged that the BJP was trying to poach Congress and other MLAs to destabilise the government.

Joshi had also filed complaints to special operations group and the anti-corruption bureau of Rajasthan Police, demanding inquiry and actions in the attempts. -- PTI

01:22 Parl panel to review road construction at LAC

In the wake of the recent violent clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh, the parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Friday decided to review the construction of border roads at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and procurement of high-altitude clothing for the armed forces, and may call the Defence Secretary and other top officials to be briefed on the same.

Friday's meeting of the 22-member PAC chaired by leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was attended by 17 out of the total 20 members. Its two seats are vacant.

Members of the PAC, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party enjoys majority and is led by senior party leader Bhupender Yadav, thwarted Chowdhury's attempt to select the PM Cares Fund for examination saying its amount was not sanctioned by the parliament and therefore it cannot be taken up by the committee.

MPs from the Biju Janata Dal and the Janata Dal-United also supported the BJP on the issue.

Meanwhile, the PAC has decided to examine various subjects with special focus being given to the Comptroller and Auditor General report number 5 of 2017, a performance audit of the Sino-India Border Roads, and CAG report number 13 of 2019 which is on the provisioning and procurement of high altitude-clothing, equipment, ration and housing for soldiers.

As per the papers circulated among the members of the committee on Friday, the CAG report on border roads is the top most subject for examination by the committee during the year.

CAG's Report 5 of 2017, which in the wake of the recent face-off on LAC between the soldiers of Indian and China, 'talks about the highly important issue of construction of Indo-China border roads by Border Roads Organisation seems to be reviewed and further improved upon', as per the agenda papers of the meeting.

Similarly, troops in high-altitude areas such as Siachen, Ladakh, etc need to be provided high-altitude clothing, equipment, special ration and housing facilities and the CAG report number 13 of 2019 points out at delays in procurement of clothing and equipment for troops in these regions, as per PAC's agenda papers.

Sources in the committee said the PAC may call the Defence Secretary and other top officials to be briefed by them on the same.

The PAC meeting on Friday was the first meeting of the panel in the current calendar year.

It assumes significance as it was the second meeting of the Lok Sabha's standing committee after parliament was adjourned prematurely on March 23 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On June 15, Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed along the LAC in the Galwan valley in eastern Ladakh in which 20 Indian Army personnel were killed. -- PTI

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