LIVE! RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat tests COVID-19 positive

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Fri, 09 April 2021

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat tests COVID-19 positive

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23:39 RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat tests COVID-19 positive

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat has tested coronavirus positive and he has been admitted to a private hospital in Nagpur, sources said on Friday.

Bhagwat has been admitted to the COVID-19 ward of the facility and he is stable, hospital sources said.

He is under observation, they said.

An RSS functionary confirmed that Bhagwat has tested positive for the viral infection. -- PTI

23:34 4 dead in fire at private hospital in Nagpur

Four persons died and some others suffered injuries after a fire broke out in a private hospital at Nagpur in Maharashtra on Friday night, an official said.

The incident occurred at 8.10 pm at the hospital located in Wadi area of the city, he said.

"The fire reportedly started from an AC unit of the ICU located on the second floor of the hospital. The blaze remained confined to that floor and did not spread further," Nagpur Municipal Corporation's chief fire officer

Rajendra Uchke said, adding that it is a non-COVID hospital.

Four persons died in the incident and some others were injured, he said.

Several fire tenders were rushed to the hospital, Uchke said.

"There were 10 patients on the second floor when the fire erupted. While six patients came out on their own, four others were rescued by the fire brigade personnel," he said.

23:26 Data of 500 mn LinkedIn users allegedly leaked

A report has alleged that personal data of 500 million users of LinkedIn has been put on sale, a charge that the professional networking platform has denied, saying no private member account data was impacted.

The report by CyberNews claimed that an archive containing data purportedly scraped from 500 million LinkedIn profiles has been put for sale on a popular hacker forum, with another 2 million records leaked as a proof-of-concept sample by the post author.

This included full names, email addresses, phone numbers and workplace information, among other data, it said.

The report, however, did not specify the impact on users in India.

However, the Microsoft-owned company said it investigated the alleged set of LinkedIn data and determined that it is actually an aggregation of data from a number of websites and companies.

"It does include publicly viewable member profile data that appears to have been scraped from LinkedIn. This was not a LinkedIn data breach, and no private member account data from LinkedIn was included in what we've been able to review," a statement on the company website said.

Data scraping refers to an automated process of extracting data from a website. While it can be useful for research and makes it faster and easier to copy large amounts of data, the data scraping process can also infringe upon protected content like personal data.

LinkedIn further said its members trust the platform with their data, and it takes action to protect that trust.

"Any misuse of our members' data, such as scraping, violates LinkedIn terms of service. When anyone tries to take member data and use it for purposes LinkedIn and our members haven't agreed to, we work to stop them and hold them accountable," it added.

LinkedIn has over 722 million users globally. Previous reports show that India is among the biggest markets for LinkedIn, where it had over 62 million users at the end of 2019. -- PTI

23:04 Andhra CM's sister to float party in Telangana

YS Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, on Friday said she would float a political party in Telangana.

Addressing a public meeting in Khammam, about 200 m from Hyderabad, Sharmila said the outfits name, agenda and other details would be announced on July 8.

Also, she said she would undertake a hunger strike in Hyderabad for three days from April 15 if notification for government jobs is not issued by the dispensation.

The relay hunger strike would continue in every district by her partys cadre and leaders until the demand is met, she further said.

There is a necessity to float a party to question the alleged corruption in K Chandrasekhar Rao-led government in Telangana, she said.

Our party is very much needed to question the KCR government( on anti-people policies). Though Telangana was formed seven years ago, peoples ambitions were not fulfilled," she said.

Sharmila's father late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, widely known as YSR, was the Chief Minister of united Andhra Pradesh from 2004 to 2009 until he died in a chopper crash which took place in September 2009.

She recalled her father's association and developmental works he had undertaken in Telangana. -- PTI

The cumulative number of COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country has crossed 9.78 crore, the Union health ministry said on Friday.

A total of 9,78,71,045 vaccine doses have been given, according to a provisional report till 8 pm.

The beneficiaries include 89,87,818 healthcare workers (HCWs) who have taken the first dose and 54,78,562 HCWs who have taken the second dose, 98,65,504 frontline workers (FLWs) who have received the first dose and 46,56,236 FLWs who have taken the second dose.

Besides, 2,81,30,126 and 5,79,276 beneficiaries aged between 45 and 59 have been administered the first and second dose respectively. As many as 3,85,92,532 and 15,80,991 individuals over 60 years have been given the first and second dose respectively.

"Total 32,16,949 vaccine doses were given till 8 pm on Friday, the 84th day of the nationwide COVID-19 vaccination," the ministry said.

According to the provisional report, 28,24,066 beneficiaries were administered the first dose and 3,92,883 received the second dose, the ministry said, adding that final reports for the day would be completed by late night.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 with the inoculation of HCWs. The vaccination of FLWs started from February 2.

The next phase of COVID-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for people over 60 years and those aged 45 and above with specified comorbid conditions.

India opened vaccination for all people aged above 45 from April 1. -- PTI

Author Shanti Gogoi, wife of Assam's former chief minister Keshab Chandra Gogoi and mother of ex-Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, died on Friday at a private hospital in Delhi after a brief illness, sources in her family said.

She was 87.

She is survived by three sons and two daughters, they said.

Shanti Gogoi, was an author and a prominent social worker, who founded Socio Educational Welfare Association (SEWA) to facilitate well-being of the community in 2000, two years after the death of her husband.

She was former president of All Assam Lekhika Samaroh Samiti (women writers association), advisor of Mahila Samiti, besides being associated with various social institutions.

Gogoi had authored several books, including Jugna Jiwanar Huwaroni, Europor Mitha Huworon, Padmakumari Gohainr Rosonahombhar and Sintar Jilikoni.

Recognised for her works, she was awarded the prestigious Labanya Hazarika Adarsha Matri Award in 2013.

Hailing from a political family, Gogoi's father was a member of the Legislative Council in the late 1930s and her mother Padmakumari Gohain was a Cabinet Minister in the Bimala Prasad Chaliha and Mahendra Mohan Choudhary ministries in Assam. -- PTI

Delhi recorded 8,521 fresh COVID-19 cases on Friday, the highest single-day surge since November 11 last year, while 39 more people died due to the infection, taking the death toll to 11,196, according to the city health department.

The highest single-day spike in Delhi till date -- 8,593 cases -- was reported on November 11 in 2020, while on November 19, the city had recorded 131 COVID-19 deaths, the highest single-day fatality count till date.

On Friday, the daily infection tally inched almost close to that record spike figure, indicating a much faster rate of spread of the infection. This is also the first time that over 8,000 cases have been recorded in a day this year.

The positivity rate reduced slightly to 7.79 per cent on Friday from 8.1 per cent a day before, according to the health department. The national capital has seen a massive spike in cases in the last few weeks.

According to the department's latest bulletin, a record 1,09,398 tests were conducted on Thursday, including 70,403 RT-PCR tests and 38,995 rapid antigen tests.

The city had recorded 7,437 cases on Thursday, which was the first time that over 7,000 cases had been reported in a day this year. On preceding two days, the case count had stood above 5,000.

On November 27 last year, the city had recorded 5,482 cases and 6,224 cases on November 24 and 7,486 on November 18, as per official data. -- PTI

The Maharashtra government on Friday allowed the non-vaccinated staff from various sectors in the state to take rapid antigen test instead of RT-PCR test, which was earlier mandatory as part of the COVID-19 curbs.

An order issued on Friday said that rapid antigen test is being allowed as an option to the RT-PCR test and the rule will come into force from April 10.

The RT-PCR test was mandated for non-vaccinated staff for various fields, including transport, film and television industry, home delivery services, staff conducting (academic) examinations, marriage and funeral venues, manufacturing sector, e-commerce firms, permitted construction activity, RBI-related institutions, among others.

The order saidthat institutions that provide one window system for various government services and which are extension of government offices, can remain open on weekdays between 7 am and 8 pm.

Strict curbs to contain the spread of the virus came into force in Maharashtra from April 5.

These restrictions include a weekend lockdown, prohibitory orders during day time and night curfew.

The curbs will be in force till April 30. -- PTI

About 20 candidates of the Congress-led alliance in the Assam Assembly polls were flown to Jaipur on Friday with the party claiming it feared "horse trading" by the Bharatiya Janata Party.

According to sources, most of the candidates belong to the Congress alliance partner All-India United Democratic Front.

They were taken to Hotel Fairmont on the outskirts of Jaipur. It is the same hotel where Rajasthan Congress MLAs were lodged during a political crisis triggered by the rebellion of party leader Sachin Pilot against CM Ashok Gehlot last year.

"Around 20 candidates have been shifted to Jaipur from Assam today," said Congress chief whip in the Rajasthan assembly, Mahesh Joshi.

"The candidates were brought here as a precautionary measure looking at several incidents in the past when the party could not form government due to horse trading by the BJP despite having majority," another Congress leader said.

He said the candidates were shifted to Jaipur so that the BJP could not make any attempt to influence them.

The three-phase Assam assembly elections concluded on April 6 and the results will be out on May 2. -- PTI

20:20 Mumbai reports 9,200 fresh COVID-19 cases

Mumbai reported 9,200 fresh COVID-19 cases today and 35 fresh deaths, the city civic body said.

According to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's updated data, with the addition of 9,200 cases, the city's COVID-19 tally surged to 5,00,898, while the death toll jumped to 11,909.

19:53 Karnataka reports nearly 8000 Covid cases

Karnataka logged 7,955 new COVID-19 cases and 46 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 10.48 lakh and the toll to 12,813, the health department said on Friday.

Out of the 7,955 fresh cases reported on Friday, 5,576 cases were from Bengaluru Urban alone.

The day also saw 3,220 patients getting discharged after recovery.

Cumulatively 10,48,085 COVID-19 positive cases have been confirmed in the state, which includes 12,813 deaths and 9,77,169 discharges, the Health department said in a bulletin.

Out of 58,084 active cases, 57,706 patients are stable and in isolation at designated hospitals, while 378 are in Intensive Care Units.

Bengaluru Urban accounted for 29 of the 46 deaths reported on Friday, Mysuru had 5, Belagavi and Kalaburagi 2 each, and one each from Ballari,Bengaluru Rural, Bidar, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga, Dharwad, Mandy and Uttara Kannada.

Among the districts where new cases were reported, Bengaluru Urban accounted for 5,576, Mysuru 283, Kalaburagi 211, Bidar 186, Hassan 153, Tumakuru 145, Vijayapura 127, Chikkaballapura 119, Dakshina Kannada 115, followed by others.

Bengaluru Urban district headed the list of positive cases, with a total of 4,70,014, followed by Mysuru 57,668 and Ballari 40,395.

Among discharges too, Bengaluru Urban was on top with 4,22,719, followed by Mysuru 54,911 and Ballari 39,168.

A total of over 2,24,58,762 samples have been tested so far, out of which 1,35,163 were on Friday alone. -- PTI

The makers of actor Kangana Ranaut-led Thalaivi on Friday announced they have deferred the release of the film due to the surge in COVID-19 cases in India.

The multilingual biographical film about the life of J Jayalalithaa, former Tamil Nadu CM and actor, was gearing to release theatrically on April 23.

In a statement posted on Twitter, production house Zee Studios said the team has decided to push the release as people's safety is their priority.

"Since the film has been made in multiple languages, we would like to release it in all languages on the same day.

"But with an alarming rise in COVID-19 cases, subsequent precautions and lockdowns, even though our film is ready for release on 23rd April, we want to extend all the support towards the government rules and regulations and have decided to postpone release of Thalaivi," the statement read.

Directed by Vijay and written by KV Vijayendra Prasad, Thalaivi also stars Arvind Swami, Madhoo, Prakash Raj, Jisshu Sengupta, Bhagyashree, and Poorna.

Earlier this week, the makers of Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi also announced that the cop drama has been pushed and will not release on April 30 due to the surge in COVID-19 cases.

India registered a record single-day spike of 1,31,968 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, pushing its infection tally to 1,30,60,542, while the death toll increased to 1,67,642 with 780 more fatalities in a day. -- PTI

New Delhi has expressed concerns to Washington using diplomatic channels over the recent passage of a US warship through Indias exclusive economic zone near Lakshadweep islands, the external affairs ministry said on Friday.

The statement came hours after it emerged that the 7th Fleet of the US Navy had sent a warship 130 nautical miles (about 224 kilometres) west of Lakshadweep to assert navigational rights and freedoms a move experts described as unnecessary at a time when ties between Washington and New Delhi were on the upswing.

The Government of Indias stated position on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is that the Convention does not authorise other States to carry out in the Exclusive Economic Zone and on the continental shelf, military exercises or manoeuvres, in particular those involving the use of weapons or explosives, without the consent of the coastal state, a statement by India said.

The 7th Fleet maintains that it conducts routine and regular Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs), which are not about one country, nor are they about making political statements.

The foreign ministry statement added: The USS John Paul Jones was continuously monitored transiting from the Persian Gulf towards the Malacca Straits (the main shipping channel between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean). We have conveyed our concerns regarding this passage through our EEZ to the Government of U.S.A through diplomatic channels.

To be sure, this was not the first time that a US warship passed through Indias EEZ without permission. But what is unusual is the 7th Fleets aggressive press note. U.S. Forces operate in the Indo-Pacific region on a daily basis. All operations are designed in accordance with international law and demonstrate that the United States will fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows, the note said.

Twenty doctors and six medical students of the AIIMS in New Delhi have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 10 days, including two who had taken both doses of anti-coronavirus vaccine, official sources said on Friday.

The 20 doctors include two faculty members. The rest are resident doctors, a source said.

A majority of them have mild COVID-19. The contacts of most of them have been traced while for some the process is still, the source said.

There are more than 3,000 doctors, including resident doctors and faculty members, at the AIIMS in New Delhi.

The recent surge in COVID-19 cases has also hit Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital as 37 doctors at the private facility have tested positive for the virus.

There has been a spike in coronavirus cases in the national capital over the past few weeks, and the daily case count breached the 7,000-mark for the first time this year.

-- PTI

Schools in the national capital will remain closed for all classes till further orders due to the rise in COVID-19 cases, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced on Friday.

The national capital has witnessed a surge in COVID-19 cases over the past few weeks. On Thursday, the daily case count breached the 7,000-mark for the first time this year.

"Due to rising cases of COVID-19, schools in Delhi will remain closed for all classes till further orders," Kejriwal tweeted.

The Delhi government had last week announced that students of any classes will not be called to school in the new academic session.

However, class 10 and class 12 students who are due to appear in board exams in May-June were going to school with consent of their parents.

Delhi had recorded 7,437 COVID-19 cases Thursday, the highest single-day surge this year, while 24 more people had died due to the coronavirus infection, taking the death toll to 11,157.

-- PTI

Uddhav Thackeray gets his second jab

17:58 HC upset over home vaccination for Maha netas

Coming down heavily on some political leaders in Maharashtra receiving the COVID-19 vaccine at their residences, the Bombay High Court on Friday said if the prime minister and president of the country can go to hospitals and get inoculated, then politicians in the state should also follow suit.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice G S Kulkarni was hearing a public interest litigation filed by advocates Dhruti Kapadia and Kunal Tiwari seeking door-to-door vaccination facility for senior citizens above the age of 75, specially-abled persons and those who are bed- ridden or wheel-chair bound.

Advocate Advait Sethna, appearing for the Centre, told the court that door-to-door vaccination facility was not yet available.

The bench asked if the policy was not available then how come some political leaders of Maharashtra were getting vaccinated in their homes. "Political leaders in Maharashtra are getting the jab sitting at their homes. If policy does not permit door-to- door, then how come for these politicians the policy is different. There has to be uniform policy for all," Chief Justice Datta said.

"Everyone including the prime minister and president of India are going to centres and hospitals to get the vaccine. The political leaders of Maharashtra are not a class apart. This sends a wrong message," the court said.

Unoccupied chairs at the vax centre at BKC, Mumbai, which ran out of vaccinations

17:34 3-week lockdown could be imposed in Maha: Govt

Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has said that a "complete lockdown" of two to three weeks is required in the state to improve the health infrastructure in view of the surge in COVID-19 cases, and added that such a step could be taken if the government is unable to cope with the situation.

He, however, expressed hope that with the curbs in place at present, the government would be able to tame the surge.

"We would need a complete lockdown for 15 days to three weeks even though I am not in favour of that immediately. If hospitals are overwhelmed, if there is a shortage of medicines and if the government is unable to cope with the growing number of patients then such a step can be taken," Tope told NDTV.

Lockdown is required to ramp up the health infrastructure, he said.

"I hope we can contain the virus with the present curbs. We will be happy and content. We are hoping for the best," he said.

Tope said the state government was concerned over the spike in cases and need hand-holding by the Centre. He rejected the allegations of mismanagement on the part of the state government, saying that the numbers were rising because it was not hiding anything.

"We have followed the principle of rigorous testing, tracing and treatment," he said. "The 'chalta hai' attitude did creep in after the government was able to flatten the curve and opened up several activities. We thought there would be no second surge," he said. Tope also rejected the criticism of the Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan against the state government, saying that the state had adhered to all the protocols laid down by the Centre. He reiterated there was discrimination against the state in allotment of vaccines.

"Recently we were given seven lakh doses and after we pursued our demand for more, we were given ten lakh additional doses," he said.

So far, Maharashtra has got 1.04 crore vaccine doses and we have sought 40 lakh per week so that we can expedite the daily vaccinations to six lakh per day, he said. In Mumbai, out of 120 centres, 70 were shut since there was no stock and the situation was embarrassing, the minister said.

17:20 Fear of Covid can't disrupt protests: Farmers

The alarming rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in Delhi notwithstanding, farmer leaders on Thursday said that nothing, not even the fear of coronavirus, can disrupt their protest against the agri laws.

Over the past four months, the farmers have managed to keep their agitation going, withstanding extreme cold, rains, and heat. They devised many ways to deal with these issues - for cold there was ample supply of winter wear, for rain they elevated their beds, and to prepare for the heat, they have started building houses, and arranging for ACs, coolers and fans.

Tackling the second wave of COVID-19 won't be very different for them, they said, adding they are prepared with certain basic precautions in place.

"We have been making announcements from the stage at the Singhu border about the necessity of wearing masks, and washing hands frequently. We are also encouraging the protestors to get vaccinated," said Lakhbir Singh, vice president (Punjab) of All India Kisan Sabha.

With multiple health camps at these protest sites, immediate medical assistance is always at the farmers' disposal in case a protestor develops symptoms like fever or breathlessness.

"If somebody has fever or cold, or any other COVID-like symptoms, then the doctors here take a call. The patient is either admitted to a hospital, or sent back to their village for 8-10 days," said Jagmohan Singh, general secretary of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda).

On Friday, India registered a record single-day spike of 1,31,968 new COVID-19 cases. Delhi too, recorded 7,437 fresh cases in its highest single-day spike this year, with the capital's death roll reaching 11,157 on Thursday.

Unnao rape convict Kuldeep Sengar

17:14 Unnao rapist's wife to contest UP polls with BJP

Former MLA and Unnao rape convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar's wife will be contesting the Uttar Pradesh panchayat polls on a BJP ticket. The BJP has made her a candidate for the district panchayat member from Ward No. 22 of Fatehpur Chaurasi, according to a list released by state party chief Swatantra Dev Singh.

Kuldeep Sengar was awarded life sentence by a Delhi court on December 20, 2019 for raping a 17-year-old girl in Unnao. After his conviction, Sengar's membership as an MLA was cancelled.

Sangeeta had earlier held the post of the district panchyat chairperson. Reacting to her candidature, Samajwadi Party chief spokesman Rajendra Chowdhury accused the BJP of adopting double standards.

On one hand, it talks about eliminating criminals and on the other, it glorifies them. In the BJP regime, crime cannot be controlled," he said. When asked, BJP spokesperson Harishchandra Shrivastava said names of all candidates were recommended by the district unit and were forwarded to the party headquarters through the regional unit. All names were finalised by the organisation, he said. PTI

16:48 Queen Elizabeth's husband Prince Philip dies

Buckingham Palace says Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, has died aged 99.

Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who had been married to Queen Elizabeth for 73 years passed away at Windsor Castle this morning.

It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle, the Royal Familys twitter handle said in a post.

"It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle," the tweet read.

Sahara group Chairman Subrata Roy Sahara has tested positive for coronavirus. Amidst the rising number of COVID-19 cases, Roy has appealed to everyone that the priority should be to "stay safe and take care of people around us", according to a release.

As per the release, Roy, who is the Managing Worker and Chairman of Sahara India Pariwar, has tested positive for coronavirus. On Friday, India reported a record single-day spike of 1,31,968 new COVID-19 cases, pushing its infection tally to 1,30,60,542.

The death toll increased to1,67,642with 780 more fatalities in a day, highest since October 18, latest data from the Union health ministry showed. Registering a steady increase for the 30th day in a row, the number of active COVID-19 cases increased to 9,79,608, which is 7.5 per cent of the total infections, as per the data updated at 8 am. PTI

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday clarified that hotels and restaurants in the city can undertake home delivery of food items under the curbs imposed to prevent COVID-19 spread.

The civic body had earlier stated that only online delivery portals will be permitted to deliver food, groceries and other essentials, and take away facilities will not be allowed for people.

In an order issued on Thursday, the BMC clarified that hotels and restaurants will be allowed to undertake home delivery of food based on orders placed by citizens over phone.

Municipal commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal told PTI that in the earlier order home delivery of food items was allowed only through online services, while as per the new directive people are allowed to place orders over phone and restaurants can deliver them. PTI

Hope floats.

Global healthcare major Johnson & Johnson is in discussions with the Indian government to begin a clinical trial of its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine in the country, the company said on Friday.

The US Food and Drug Administration has already approved Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine that works with just one dose for emergency use in February.

"We are in discussions with the Government of India with the objective of starting a bridging clinical study of our Janssen COVID-19 vaccine candidate in India, subject to local regulatory approvals," Johnson & Johnson India spokesperson said in an email reply.

Johnson & Johnson's vaccine can be stored at refrigerator temperatures. "At Johnson & Johnson, we remain fully focused on bringing a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine to people around the world, if authorised for use by local health authorities", the spokesperson said.

India is currently using two vaccines for COVID-19 -- one developed by Oxford University and AstraZeneca and the other developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Virology. Both the vaccines are being manufactured within the country by domestic firms.

15:50 13-course meal for Shah at BJP veteran's home

Union Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah has lunch at the residence of Samarendra Prasad Biswas - a founding member of BJP in the state. Party leaders Swapan Dasgupta and Dinesh Trivedi also present.

There will be luchi, roti, chholar dal, begun bhaja, kumro (pumpkin) bhaja, patal sabzi, chanar (paneer) dalna, dhokar dalna, bhindi sabzi, mango chatni, papad and five types of special sweets of Kolkata in the lunch.

Biswas spoke to ANI, "It was because of the support of Atalji and Advaniji, Mamata has grown up that much. She does not have that calibre to reach this point. But Mamata does not remember that. The BJP supported Mamata in uprooting the Left government in West Bengal."

15:32 Sachin Waze sent to jail till April 23

A Mumbai court sends suspended Mumbai Police Officer Sachin Waze to judicial custody till 23rd April. He was in NIA custody earlier. Waze is an accused in Mansukh Hiren death case.

Waze's lawyer requested for a safe cell in jail as he apprehends his safety and security.

On Wednesday, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh on Wednesday has been was called by the National Investigation Agency to record a statement in the Sachin Waze's case.

An NIA source had confirmed that statements of officers are being recorded to have clarity on the functioning of the Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) and Sachin Waze in particular.

Param Bir Singh is third in the series of senior Officers of Mumbai police who have been called by NIA to record statements.

Before him, two Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Parag Manere and Akbar Pathan have recorded their statements with NIA.

Sachin Waze, Assistant Police Inspector in the CIU who was in charge of the Hiran case, was in NIA custody till April 7, for his alleged role and involvement in placing the explosives-laden vehicle outside the residence of Ambani.

Hiran, the owner of the vehicle that was found containing explosives materials outside the house of the Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, was found dead on March 5 in Thane.

Investigation into his death was being probed by Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), till the MHA handed over the probe to the NIA.

Westlife Development, which operates McDonald's restaurants in southern and western region in India, on Friday said the quick service brand's restaurants will operate 24/7 for contactless delivery from select stores in Mumbai.

"In wake of the new restrictions announced to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections in Maharashtra, Westlife Development Ltd owned McDonald's restaurants will operate 24/7 for contactless McDelivery from select stores in Mumbai," Westlife Development said in a regulatory filing.

The brand will further be doubling up on its convenience channels of McDelivery, takeaway and On-the-Go as the state has announced new set of restrictions to arrest the mounting COVID-19 cases, the company added.

15:06 Omar Abdullah tests positive for Covid

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah says that he has tested positive for COVID-19. He is asymptotic and is self-isolating at home.

"For a year I did my best to dodge this damn virus but it's finally caught up with me. I tested positive for COVID-19 this afternoon. I'm completely asymptotic. Based on medical advice I'm self-isolating at home & monitoring my parameters like oxygen saturation levels etc," Abdullah said.

His father Farooq Abdullah had also tested positive for the virus a week ago.

Reacting sharply to the notice served on her by the Election Commission of India for her comments over central forces intimidating voters, Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Friday hit out at the poll panel, saying that she would continue speaking about CRPF interference till it stops working for the BJP.

Iterating that the ECI was working at the behest of the BJP, Banerjee said, the prime minister campaigns on polling days, yet there is no ruling that he has violated the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).

Speaking at a rally at Jamalpur in Purba Bardhaman, the TMC chief said, "I will continue speaking about interference by CPRF till it stops working for the BJP. Will salute the force, once it does. I do not care anything about your (ECI's) showcause letters."

The chief minister also accused the ECI of "not listening to the TMC but following whatever the BJP is saying". Banerjee said, she is also campaigning on election days because the prime minister does so.

"Why are you (PM) having 'Pariksha pe charcha' in West Bengal where assembly elections are being held? Is it not a violation of MCC?" she asked. The ECI has issued a notice to the West Bengal chief minister on Thursday night for her prima facie "completely false, provocative and intemperate statements" against central armed police forces deputed on election duty in the state, saying her remarks are demoralising the personnel. Banerjee has been asked to reply by Saturday. PTI

The migrant exodus due to Covid, last year

14:17 Migrant exodus: Trains will continue to run

The railways on Friday said there is no plan to curtail or stop train services and assured passengers that trains will be provided on demand amidst reports of migrant workers rushing to their hometowns, reminiscent of the days following the coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

Railway Board Chairman Suneet Sharma assured the passengers that there is no dearth of trains and the railways is ready to put them into service on a short notice.

"There is no plan to curtail or stop train services. We will run as many services as required. There is no cause for alarm. We can run trains immediately on demand if there is any rush. This rush is normal during the summer season and we have already announced trains to clear the rush," he said at a press briefing. With the number of COVID-19 cases on the rise, a sudden surge in passenger movement at railway stations was reported from across the country. Many travellers, speaking to the media, said the fear of an imminent lockdown was the reason behind their trips.

"There is no shortage of trains for those who want to travel. I assure everyone that trains will be provided on demand," Sharma said.

The Railway Board chairman also ruled out the need for a COVID-negative certificate to travel by train. He said the railways has not received any communique yet from Maharashtra to stop or curtail the movement of trains in view of the rising number of coronavirus cases. PTI

India and China held another round of military talks on Friday to take forward the disengagement process in the remaining friction points such as Hot Springs, Gogra and Depsang in eastern Ladakh, people familiar with the development said.

The 11th round of the Corps Commander-level talks began at around 10:30 am at the Chushul border point on the Indian side of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, they said.

The 10th round of the military dialogue took place on February 20, two days after both militaries concluded the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of the Pangong lake. The talks lasted for around 16 hours. The Indian delegation at Friday's talks is led by Lieutenant General PGK Menon, the Commander of the Leh-based 14 Corps.

One of the people cited above said India will insist on completing the disengagement process at the remaining friction points at the earliest. Late last month, Army chief General MM Naravane said the threat to India has only "abated" following the disengagement in the Pangong lake areas, but it has not gone away altogether.

The border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted on May 5 last following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry.

As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the withdrawal of troops and weapons from the North and South banks of the Pangong lake in February, in line with an agreement on disengagement. India has been insisting that the resolution of the outstanding issues, including at Depsang, Hot Springs and Gogra, is essential for the overall ties between the two countries

The notice at the BKC vaccine centre in Mumbai

14:05 No vaccine shortage, says Amit Shah

Meanwhile, the Centre continues to deny vaccine shortage. "The information on vaccine shortage is not right. All states are being provided adequate number of vaccine doses," Home Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah in Kolkata.

More than two months after the glacial disaster in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, one more body was recovered from the Tapovan tunnel, pushing the toll in the tragedy to 78, officials said on Friday.

Rescue teams recovered another body from the main tunnel at the Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project on Thursday, Chamoli District Disaster Management Officer N K Joshi said. An avalanche on February 7 had caused large-scale damage to the project besides totally demolishing the Rishiganga hydel project at Raini village in the district.

Seventy-eight bodies and 35 human body parts have been recovered so far from different places hit by the disaster, Joshi said, adding that 47 bodies have been identified. DNA samples of the bodies which have not been identified are being preserved, he said. As many as 126 people are still missing since the tragedy. PTI

Coming down hard on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday her fulminations against central forces betrayed frustration over "impending defeat" in the Assembly elections. He exuded confidence that the BJP will win anywhere between 63 and 68 seats where polling has been held in the first three phases. Polling is over in 91 of the state's 294 assembly constituencies in the three phases.

"I have never seen a chief minister or the president of a political party use the kind of words Mamata Banerjee is using against central forces. Is she trying to create anarchy? Does she want disturbance?

"I want her to have some common sense. She should know that central forces do not function under the home ministry during elections. They are under the control of the Election Commission," he told a press conference.

Shah was responding to the TMC supremo's claim of CAPF personnel harassing and intimidating electors, and asking them to vote for the BJP at the behest of Shah and the home ministry.

He said Banerjee's appeal for minority unity to prevent division of their votes shows minority voters were drifting away from the TMC.

"People of Bengal are peeved about Mamata Banerjee's failure to check infiltration, her protest against the CAA and appeasement politics," Shah said.

"Sonar Bangla Abhiyan will begin from Kolkata. Kolkata will remain the 'City of Joy' and we will also work to transform it into 'City of Future'. We will make a Rs 22,000 crore Kolkata Development Fund for infrastructural strengthening," the HM said. PTI

A sessions court here has dismissed a criminal defamation complaint filed by a Mumbai police officer against Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami over certain claims made during the coverage of the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

The plea, by Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abhishek Trimukhe, was dismissed by the court on April 1, but a detailed order was made available on Thursday.

Trimukhe's complaint had also named ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd, which owns Republic Media Network, and Goswami's wife, who is a director in the company. The complainant had alleged that there were some tweets by Goswami and others which misrepresented him. Additional sessions judge Uday Padwad found that Trimukhe's complaint was not in conformity with the mandatory requirement of section 199(2)of the CrPC for the court to take cognisance.

As per provisions of 199(2) of the CrPC, any offence falling under Chapter XXI of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) is alleged to have been committed against a public servant in connection with the discharge of his public functions, a court of session may take cognisance of such offence upon a written complaint by a public prosecutor.

Upon perusal of the complaint submissions made before the court, the judge noted the complaint in this case was filed by the DCP himself and not through a public prosecutor. The judge, however, said the complainant can take his grievances to a magistrate court.

"It is not that the aggrieved public servant against whom the said offence is alleged to have been committed has no forum to take his grievances to. He has the remedy to make a complaint before the competent magistrate," the court said.

The DCP had filed the complaint in February under Indian Penal Code sections 499, 500 (defamation) and 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory). Goswami made "grossly false", "malicious" and "defamatory" statements during the coverage of actor Rajput's death in June last year, the police officer had claimed.

The 34-year-old Bollywood actor was found dead in his apartment in suburban Bandra.

The Covishield vaccine

13:10 Rahul writes to PM to suspend vaccine exports

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi asks a question most Indians not blinded by the government's image building exercise want to know.

Gandhi on Friday questioned the export of COVID-19 vaccines, and asked if it is right to do so and put the lives of Indians in danger. He said vaccine shortage is a very serious problem during Corona times and is not a celebration.

He also wrote to the PM seeking immediate moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine exports.

Gandhi also called upon the central government to help states without any bias and help provide them with more vaccines.

"Shortage of vaccine in view of the rise in Corona cases is a very serious problem and not a celebration," he said in a tweet in Hindi. "Is it right to export the vaccine and put Indians at risk. The central government should help all states without any bias. We all have to fight this pandemic together and defeat it," he added.

Some states have been demanding more vaccines and the Congress is seeking the vaccine for all. The Centre, however, has accused some states of doing politics on the issue of vaccines.

Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has said that 9.1 crore vaccine doses have been utilised, while 2.4 crore are in stock and 1.9 crore vaccines are in the pipeline, indicating there are sufficient doses available for all states. He also dismissed as "farce" the "hue and cry" by certain states about partisanship by the Centre and called it an attempt to hide their own incompetence. PTI

The Central Railway has stopped the sale of platform tickets at its six long-distance train stations, including Mumbai CSMT, from immediate effect to avoid unnecessary rush in view of COVID-19, an official said on Friday. Central Railway chief spokesperson Shivaji Sutar said besides Mumbai CSMT, they have stopped issuing platform tickets at LTT, Kalyan, Thane, Dadar and Panvel stations from where long-distance trains operate.

He said the decision has been taken to avoid unnecessary rush at these stations. "The decision has been taken to avoid unnecessary crowding and ensuring social distancing at stations during the current summer rush," Sutar said.

India has exported 6.45 crore doses to 84 countries, which includes 1.05 crores to 44 countries as grants, 3.58 crores to 25 countries as commercial contracts and 1.82 crores to 39 countries through the COVAX facility of WHO, the Union Health Ministry said.

"Today at 9 o'clock, the latest figures suggest that 9,43,34,262 doses have been given to people in India. In the last 24 hours, we've given 36,91,511 doses. Last week we even gave 43 Lakh doses one day, probably the highest given anywhere in the whole world," the minister said.

Several vaccination centres across Mumbai, including a jumbo COVID-19 facility in business istrict BKC, suspended inoculation on Friday morning due to a shortage of doses, BMC sources said.

The remaining centres are likely to suspend the vaccination drive by afternoon or evening as the available stock is fast depleting, according to the sources.

Meanwhile, Mumbai is expected to get up to 1.80 lakh fresh doses of COVID-19 vaccines on Friday, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) executive health officer Mangala Gomare told PTI.

According to the sources, as many as 75 of the 120 centres, mainly at private hospitals, suspended vaccination on Friday morning due to unavailability of doses, while some other centres suspended the drive within a few hours after the stock got over.

12:00 Mumbai's Chowpatty beach deserted

Girgaum Chowpatty beach in Mumbai wears a deserted look after BMC ordered that all beaches in city will remain shut till April 30.

A worker at a food joint says, "Number of customers had been dwindling since 25th March. People are closing shops and going back to their home states."

11:49 44 constituencies in WB 4th phase tomorrow

The electoral fates of Union Minister Babul Supriyo and West Bengal ministers Partha Chatterjee and Arup Biswas will be decided on Saturday when votes will be cast for the fourth phase of the high octane poll in West Bengal, for which is stage is set.

Two MPs of the BJP are also in the fray for the April 10 poll when elections will be held in 44 seats covering Cooch Behar and Alipurduar districts in north Bengal and parts of South 24 Parganas, Howrah and Hoogly in the southern part of the state.

The Election Commission has deployed at least 789 companies of central armed police force (CAPF) in 15,940 polling stations spread over the 44 constituencies. The highest deployment of 187 companies of CAPF will be in Cooch Behar, which has witnessed sporadic incidents of violence in the run up to the elections including an attack on BJP state president Dilip Ghosh allegedly by TMC supporters.

In one of the high profile contests of this phase, Babul Supriyo will lock horns with sitting MLA Arup Biswas at Tollygunje, known to be the heart of the Bengali film industry in the southern outskirts of Kolkata, while Partha Chatterjee, who is also the TMC's secretary general, will take on film actor Srabanti Chatterjee of the BJP in Behala West seat to return to the Assembly for the fourth successive term. Also in the fray on Saturday is TMC turncoat Rajib Banerjee, a former minister of the Mamata Banerjee cabinet, who will contest from Domjur in Howrah district on a BJP ticket.

He along with fellow turncoat Suvendu Adhikari has been the focus of stinging attacks by the TMC supremo who called them "gaddars" (traitors) and Mir Jafar and attacked them in almost every election meeting.

Mir Jafar had betrayed Nawab Siraj-ud-Dullah of Bengal in the historic Battle of Plassey in 1757 to the British. The battle had spelt doom for the nawab and the British got its foothold in the country.

Rajib Banerjee on his part has said at the campaign meetings that it had become impossible to remain in TMC owing to its "corrupt practices" and arrogance and anti-people stance of its leaders. He claimed that has joined BJP to work for the people of the state.

11:12 1 lakh vaccines to reach Mumbai today: Mayor

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar: There are several vaccination centers that have zero vaccines now and vaccination has stopped there. I have come to know that some 76,000 to 1 Lakh doses are about to reach Mumbai by today but I don't have any official info on this.

11:09 Govt downplays Covid surge, vaccine shortage

Dr Harsh Vardhan at the 24th meeting of the High-level Group of Ministers on COVID-19 continues to downplay the unprecedented surge in cases and a crippling vaccine and oxygen cylinder shortage.

"1,19,13,292 have totally recovered in the country. Our recovery rate, which at one point of time, in last 2-3 months had even gone up to 96-97%, has now come down to 91.22%.

149 districts have not seen a case of COVID in last 7 days, 8 districts have not seen a case in last 14 days, 3 districts have not seen a case in last 21 days, 63 districts have not seen a case in last 28 days.

Our fatality rate continues to come down. Right now it is at 1.28%.

Right now 0.46% of the active critical patients are on ventilators, 2.31% are in ICU and 4.51% are on oxygen-supported beds.

At the time of our last meeting we had 1,53,847 deaths in whole country & today we have 1,67,642 deaths. At that time it was 123 additional deaths & today it is 780 additional deaths every day.

Today at 9 o'clock, the latest figures suggest that 9,43,34,262 doses have been given to people in India. In the last 24 hours, we've given 36,91,511 doses. Last week we even gave 43 Lakh doses one day, probably the highest given anywhere in the whole world.

The new guidelines issued by the Odisha government on Friday in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases, make it mandatory for people coming to the state to produce either a negative RT-PCR test report obtained within 72 hours of entry or final vaccination certificate after two doses of vaccination.

This is applicable to all modes of travel, including people entering the state by train, bus, plane, waterways or in private vehicles. The guidelines further state that people coming without such a report or certificate will have to undergo seven days mandatory home or institutional quarantine, with effect from April 12.

As per the guidelines, all public transport from Odisha to Chhattisgarh and vice versa has been suspended by the Odisha government from April 10 to 30. -- ANI

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday said it is irresponsible on the part of the CBSE to force students to appear for Board examinations and demanded that the exams be either cancelledor rescheduled in view of the COVID-19 situation in the country.

She said the Board exams should be either cancelled or be "http://held.in" such a manner that it does not require the physical presence of students. "It is downright irresponsible of boards like the CBSE to force students to sit for exams under the prevailing circumstances.

Board exams should either be cancelled, rescheduled or arranged in a manner that does not require the physical presence of children at crowded exam centres," she said on Twitter. According to the revised date sheet for CBSE board exams 2021, the Class 10 exams would be held between May 4 and June 7 and those for Class 12 would be held between May 4 and June 15.

The Election Commission of India has issued a notice to West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee, asking her to explain her stand by April 10, regarding her statements against central forces made on March 28 and April 7.

This is the second notice issued to her by the EC.

Earlier, she was issued a notice on Wednesday for her alleged appeal to Muslim voters while campaigning in Hooghly to not allow their votes get split among different political parties.

India reports 1,31,968 new COVID-19 cases, 61,899 discharges, and 780 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union health ministry.

Total cases: 1,30,60,542

Total recoveries: 1,19,13,292

Active cases: 9,79,608

Death toll: 1,67,642

IMAGE: A medic collects a sample from a woman for COVID-19 test, in Thane, on Thursday. Photograph: PTI Photo

Total vaccination: 9,43,34,262 -- ANI

Representative image only

09:29 Man caught with 12 Remdesivir vials in Mumbai

A 22-year-man was caught with a dozen vials of Remdesivir, a key medicine in treatment of coronavirus, in Mumbai, police said on Friday.

The man, Sarfaraz Hussain, was caught by the Crime Branch with the injections at Andheri (East) on Thursday evening, an official said.

According to the official, the Crime Branch laid a trap after getting information abut the man trying to sell the anti-viral drug in the black market.

During a search, the Crime Branch found at least 12 vials of Remdesivir in his possession, he said, adding it was not yet known whom he was going to deliver the injections which were seized.

With Maharashtra witnessing a spurt in COVID-19 cases, Remdesivir injections are in high demand in the state.

On Thursday, the Maharashtra government capped the price of Remdesivir between Rs 1,100 and Rs 1,400 per vial and warned against its hoarding and black marketing. -- PTI

An Indian couple was found dead at their home in the United States after neighbours saw their four-year-olddaughter crying alone in the balcony of their house, familysources said on Friday.

The bodies of Balaji Bharat Rudrawar, 32, and his wife Arati Balaji Rudrawar, 30, were found at their New Jersey home on Wednesday after their neighbours saw the child crying and informed the local police who then entered the house, Balaji's father Bharat Rudrawar told PTI.

The local police there informed Bharat Rudrawar of the tragedy on Thursday.

There is no clarity yet on the cause of the death, he said, adding that the US police said they will share findings of the autopsy report.

"My daughter-in-law was seven months pregnant," he said.

"We had been to their house and were planning a trip to the US again," he said.

"I am not aware of any possible motive. They were a happy family and had lovely neighbours," he said when asked if he suspected foul play.

"I was informed by the US authorities that it will take at least 8 to 10 days for the bodies to reach India after necessary formalities," he said.

"My granddaughter is now with a friend of my son. He had several friends in the local Indian community," he said.

Balaji Rudrawar, an IT professional from Ambajogai in Maharashtra's Beed district had moved with his wife to the US in August 2015 after they got married in December 2014, said his father, a businessman from the temple town, around 500 km from Mumbai. -- PTI

A total of 90 students have tested positive for COVID-19 at Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Roorkee in the last few days, said IIT Roorkee media cell in-charge Sonika Srivastava on Thursday.

He further said that the Haridwar District Health Department has sealed five hostels--- Coral, Kasturba, Sarojini, Govind Bhawan and Vigyan Kunj and declared them as containment zones.

"The institute has about three thousand students, of which around 1,200 students live in these five hostels. At present, all students are being treated in hostels.

"The students who were preparing to come to the IITs, have been stopped till the next orders. All the students present on the premises have been instructed to take precautions," said Sonika Srivastava.

Meanwhile, Uttarakhand has reported 787 new COVID-19 positive cases on Thursday, taking the total count to 1,05,498. -- ANI

The Pakistan Army's top brass on Thursday discussed the situation along the border with India, including the Line of Control, after an agreement to restore the ceasefire agreement.

The 240th Corps Commanders' Conference chaired by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa was held at GHQ, Rawalpindi and the participants undertook a comprehensive review of global, regional and domestic security environment.

The army said in a statement the forum expressed confidence in operational preparedness of the army displayed during recently-held formation exercises.

"Forum held a detailed discussion on the situation along the Eastern Border/LOC especially the environment post ceasefire understanding 2021 between the DGsMO,� it said.

In February, Pakistan and India agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control and address each other's core issues and concerns which have the propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence.

An agreement was reached between the two countries after the Director Generals of Military Operations of India and Pakistan held discussions over the established mechanism of hotline contact.

A joint statement issued in Islamabad and New Delhi after the talks said the two sides reviewed the situation along the LoC and all other sectors in a "free, frank and cordial atmosphere."

"Both the DGMOs have agreed that the existing 2003 understanding should be implemented in letter and spirit," Pakistani army spokesman Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar had said.

The conference also expressed satisfaction over positive developments in Afghan peace process and efforts made so far.

The meeting was also apprised about military engagements with friendly countries.

The commanders undertook a detailed review of security situation in the newly-merged districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The meeting also reviewed internal security situation, including the ongoing third wave of COVID-19 and reaffirmed the resolve of the armed forces to extend full support to civil administration in controlling the pandemic.

The Corps Commander Conference is held regularly to review the external and internal security situation. -- PTI

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