LIVE! Ankita case: SIT to quiz accused for next 72 hrs

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Fri, 30 September 2022

Ankita case: SIT to quiz accused for next 72 hrs

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23:59 Lawyer's suicide in Jabalpur sparks off angry protest on HC premises

An alleged suicide by a lawyer triggered a violent protest on the premises of the Madhya Pradesh high court's Jabalpur bench in Jabalpur on Friday, the police said.

The State Bar Council of Madhya Pradesh appealed to the lawyers to abstain from work on Saturday, alleging that Anurag Sahu, the deceased, was being harassed by some officials and fellow advocates.

Sahu allegedly hanged himself at his house after pleading a case in the high court in the afternoon, a police official said.

Following his death, a group of lawyers staged a protest on the high court premises and allegedly set fire to the chamber of a lawyer who had appeared against Sahu in the court, he said.

The police was forced to cane-charge the protestors to restore order and some policemen sustained injuries during the incident, superintendent of police Siddharth Bahuguna said.

Asked if the deceased lawyer had left behind a suicide note, the SP said the matter will be probed. -- PTI

The accused in the Ankita Bhandari case will be interrogated by the Special Investigation Team, formed to investigate this case for the next 72 hours, the police informed on Friday.

"The SIT will interrogate the accused in the Ankita murder case for the next 72 hours. For this, the accused have been taken from the district jail Pauri to some secret place. Considering the sensitivity of the incident, the accused have been taken to a secret place for interrogation by the SIT," district jail Pauri Jailor BP Singh said.

The SIT will interrogate the murder accused by bringing the main witnesses of the murder face to face.

The murder case pertains to a young girl (Ankita Bhandari) whose body was recovered from the Chilla Canal in Rishikesh on September 24.

Son of expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya, Pulkit Arya was arrested in the case for allegedly pushing her into the canal following an altercation.

Besides Pulkit Arya, two more people were arrested in the case. -- ANI

23:14 Allahabad HC stays arrest of Azam Khan

The Allahabad high court on Friday stayed the arrest of Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan in a case involving the recovery of some Rampur civic body machines from the Jauhar University campus.

The Bench of Justices Suneet Kumar and Syed Waiz Mian passed the order on a petition filed by Azam Khan.

Azam Khan and his son had earlier filed a writ petition seeking the quashing of the FIR lodged on February 19 this year at a Rampur police station.

After hearing the arguments, the court said till the next date of listing, the petitioners shall not be arrested pursuant to the impugned FIR, provided they cooperate in the investigation. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered prayers at the famous Ambaji temple in Gujarat's Banaskantha district on Friday.

He visited the temple after speaking at a rally in the town.

He also performed 'maha aarti' at the nearby Gabbar Tirth. Hundreds of devotees greeted the prime minister who was accompanied by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and state BJP chief CR Paatil.

Modi also watched a laser show where an image of the Goddess was projected on the Gabbar Hill near the temple.

Before visiting the temple, the prime minister laid a foundation stone and dedicated various projects worth over Rs 7,200 crore in Ambaji.

Shri Arasuri Mata Mandir in Ambaji town, known as a Shaktipeeth, attracts lakhs of devotees every year.

Gabbar Tirth is one of 51 famous ancient pauranik shakti peethas revered by Hindus. -- PTI

The 'Navaratri Kolu' at Raj Bhavan in Chennai/Twitter

22:28 'Kolu' at TN Raj Bhavan open for public

The 'Navaratri Kolu' inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi at the Raj Bhavan recently will now be open for the public, an official release in Chennai said.

It will be open daily between 3 pm to 5 pm from October 1 to 5, 2022.

Those interested can send their name, and other details like gender, address, contact number, identity proof and date of visit on navaratrirb22@gmail.com.

"The maximum strength of visitors per day will be 80 on 'first come-first view', basis.

Raj Bhavan will send confirmation email with time slot.

"After getting confirmation only, at least 30 minutes prior to slot, visitors should come to Gate No. 2, along with the original ID Proof, submitted in the email," it said.

Indian citizens are required to produce their valid photo ID card. Foreign nationals will be required to produce their original passport for identification at entry point. -- PTI

22:12 Monsoon performance during past 7 years

Rainfall during the June-September period in the past seven years in India.

22:07 SC bench sits till 9:10 pm to hear 75 cases

The Supreme Court bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Hima Kohli on Friday sat till 9:10 pm, around five hours beyond the regular working hours, to hear 75 cases to clear the board before the onset of Dussehra vacations.

In the morning, when the bench commenced proceedings for the day, a lawyer mentioned a matter listed at the bottom of the list citing urgency.

"Don't worry. I have told my family members that today, I'll not come home before completing the board. I told them not to wait for me," Justice Chandrachud said.

The judges of the Supreme Court hear cases from 10:30 am to 4 pm on weekdays.

Dussehra's break in the apex court will be from October 1 to 9.

After finishing the proceedings for the day, Justice Chandrachud thanked all the lawyers, apex court staff, and security officials for their cooperation.

Justice Chandrachud has recently remarked that judges usually had to continue working in their chambers even after normal working hours of the courts and sometimes such work is extended till midnight.

Some days back, Chief Justice U U Lalit remarked that if children can go to school at 7 in the morning, why cannot judges and lawyers start their day at 9 am?

IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bamhrah

21:39 Indian sanitary pad firm to provide year-long supply to Bihar school girl

Indian sanitary pad manufacturing company PAN Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. on Friday took suo moto cognizance of the incident in Patna where an IAS officer, Harjot Kaur Bamhrah, had publicly mocked a schoolgirl Riya Kumari if "she wanted condoms too" when she asked for affordable sanitary napkins at a workshop organised in Bihar and announced that it would provide a year-long supply of sanitary pads to Riya.

Chirag Pan, CEO of PAN Healthcare, said, "Menstrual hygiene has been considered a taboo subject discussed in hushed voices for generations. This must change. We need many more girls to come forward and boldly demand open discussions about period bleeding. We salute Riya's courage to speak up on this subject on a public platform with confidence. A year's supply of Everteen's neem and safflower sanitary pads is just a small token of our appreciation for her conviction to put an end to the bloody hypocrisy around menstruation that pervades society at large. We will also bear the cost of her education fees through her graduation."

"Our 2022 Everteen Menstrual Hygiene Survey showed that 23.5 per cent of women still do not consult a doctor or even friends and family in case of irregular periods," said Hariom Tyagi, CEO of Wet and Dry Personal Care.

The incident took place in Patna on Thursday where an IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bhamra had publicly mocked a schoolgirl Riya, 20, who raised the issue of easy access to menstrual hygiene methods for poor girls and women living in slums and said if "she wanted condoms too" when she asked for affordable sanitary napkins at a workshop.

The National Commission for Women took cognizance of the incident and sought an explanation. -- ANI

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor will visit the Deekshabhoomi monument here on Saturday and start his campaign for the party president's election.

Tharoor will pay his tributes at Deekhabhoomi, where Dr BR Ambedkar converted to Buddhism along with his followers in 1956, on Saturday, said Maharashtra Congress leader Ashish Deshmukh.

Deshmukh has organised the Thiruvananthapuram MP's visit to Nagpur.

Tharoor filed his nomination for the Congress president's election in Delhi earlier in the day.

On Sunday he will visit Mahatma Gandhi's Sewagram Ashram at Wardha and Vinoba Bhave's Ashram at Pawnar, Deshmukh said.

"Tharoor is a popular Congress MP who has done remarkable work for the country at the international level. The election for Congress president is an important step for decentralization in the party," he said. -- PTI

BJP president JP Nadda

20:56 Now BJP chief Nadda calls for 'BJD mukt Odisha'

Intensifying his attack against the 22-year-old Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha, Bharaiya Janata Party president JP Nadda on Friday called upon party workers to ensure that the state becomes BJD mukt (BJD free).

He also accused the Biju Janata Dal dispensation of re-branding central schemes as those of its own and making fake bills to misappropriate MGNREGA funds.

"If you sincerely want to see a developed state, you have to do hard work and make Odisha BJD mukt," Nadda told a gathering of the BJP's frontal organisations.

To ensure a developed India, we need to develop all states including Odisha. And for the overall development of Odisha, the state has to get rid of the BJD, the BJP president said to loud applause from the gathering.

Nadda, who was on a two-day visit to Odisha since Thursday, charged the BJD government with hijacking the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and re-branding it as its own -- Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana.

Modi ji is facilitating houses for the poor and needy while the credit is being taken by the BJD, he said and asked the frontal organisations to make people aware of this.

He also claimed that the Centre sanctioned Rs 15,490 crore under MGNREGA in Odisha, but fake bills are being made to misappropriate funds.

The BJP president also attacked the BJD government for not implementing the Centre's Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme.

The government is depriving free of cost healthcare benefits to about 60 lakh families in Odisha.

"Should we allow a government to continue, which denies health benefits to the poor?" Nadda said. -- PTI

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20:49 Signal fault at Thane disrupts CR suburban traffic on Friday evening

Suburban train services on the CSMT-Kalyan section of Central Railway were affected on Friday evening due to a signalling fault at Thane station, leaving several thousand commuters inconvenienced, an official said.

The technical fault took place at 6:57pm and resulted in the "bunching" of trains one after the other, leaving the evening rush hour, which sees people going back home from work, affected.

Train services on the CSMT-Kalyan Down fast line were restored at 7:23pm and all lines were operational at 7:35pm, the official informed.

Trains were running late after restoration of services due to the earlier "bunching", rail lingo for a train queue due to any irregularity. -- PTI

The Kodanad heist-cum-murder case has been transferred to the crime branch-CID to expedite the case.

Tamil Nadu DGP C Sylendra Babu issued orders transferring the case to the CB-CID on Friday, a senior official said.

The Kodanad tea estate of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was robbed in 2017 and a security guard Om Bahadur was found dead while his colleague Krishna Bahadur was wounded.

The police said 11 men were involved in the heist and murder.

Two of the suspected accused Kanagaraj, who served as Jayalalithaa's driver, and Sayan died in separate road accidents within a week after the robbery during which some documents were stolen. Manoj, one of the accused in the case, moved the Madras high court seeking to speed up the case. Six people had reportedly fled to Kerala via Gudalur after the crime was committed on April 23, said the police.

A special investigation team questioned an assistant to a former AIADMK legislator in connection with the case, which was re-opened after the DMK came to power last year. -- PTI

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19:44 Pak arrests 16 Indian fishermen, seizes trawlers

Pakistan authorities have arrested 16 Indian fishermen and seized two trawlers for allegedly illegally fishing in the country's territorial waters, officials said on Friday.

Pakistan Maritime Security Agency said one of its ships "apprehended two Indian fishing boats along with 16 crew members," during routine surveillance in maritime zones in Pakistan.

The arrests were made on Tuesday.

"The apprehended Indian boats were well inside Pakistani waters," the PMSA said in a statement.

The Indian boats were apprehended for violation of Pakistani Law and UN Convention of Law at Sea, it said.

After initial investigation, the boats were towed to Karachi and the apprehended fishermen were handed over to Docks Police to complete further legal formalities.

The PMSA ships, aircraft and boats regularly undertake patrolling and monitoring of Pakistan's maritime zones to protect the interests of local fishermen, while ensuring no foreign fishing vessels conduct poaching inside the country's exclusive economic zone.

Pakistan and India regularly arrest rival fishermen for violating the maritime boundary, which is poorly marked at some points. -- PTI

The Delhi high court has quashed an FIR registered against a man for allegedly hitting a bike rider with his car and directed his release while asking him to give food to an orphanage not having less than 100 children.

Justice Jasmeet Singh asked the petitioner to provide food on October 5 and October 24 i.e. Dusshera and Diwali while clarifying that the food served should be hygienic, and well cooked in a safe environment and all COVID-19 protocols must be followed.

The court asked the additional public prosecutor to identify the orphanage and give the name to counsel for the petitioner.

"The petitioner shall provide food to an orphanage not having less than 100 children on both October 5, 2022, as well as October 24, 2022. The food served should be hygienic, well cooked in a safe environment and all COVID-19 protocols must also be followed," said the court in its order dated September 28.

"Subject to the above, the FIR, dated September 13, 2022, registered at police station Hari Nagar, under Section 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide) IPC is hereby quashed and the petitioner who is in custody is directed to be released forthwith,' the court ordered. The petitioner sought quashing of the FIR registered on September 13 on the ground that the parties have arrived at a settlement out of their own free will without any threat, pressure, coercion, or undue influence." -- PTI

The competent authority under the Foreign Exchange Management Act has approved an order of seizure of over Rs 5,551 crore worth of deposits of Chinese mobile phone manufacturer Xiaomi, the highest amount frozen till date in India, the ED said on Friday.

The Enforcement Directorate had issued the order of seizure on April 29 under the FEMA and later sent it for approval of the competent authority, as required under the law that regulates foreign exchange violations in the country.

The order has been issued under section 37A of the FEMA against Xiaomi Technology India Private Ltd, the federal agency said in a statement.

"This is the highest amount of seizure order in India which has been confirmed by the authority till date.

"The authority, while confirming the seizure of Rs 5,551.27 crore, held that ED is right in holding that foreign exchange equivalent to Rs 5,551.27 crore has been transferred out of India by Xiaomi India in an unauthorised manner and is held outside India on behalf of the group entity in contravention of Section 4 of the FEMA," the agency said.

The competent authority also observed that the payment of royalty is nothing but a tool to transfer the foreign exchange out of India and the same is in "blatant violation" of the provisions of FEMA, it said. -- PTI

The BJP on Friday took a dig at Congress presidential candidate Shashi Tharoor over the country's map shown in his manifesto, saying he put a "mutilated map" not having parts of Jammu and Kashmir may be to "find favour" with the Gandhis.

Tharoor filed his nomination on Friday and released a manifesto which had India's map that did not appear accurate as some parts of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were omitted.

Later his office said the map has been corrected.

In a tweet, BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya said Tharoor put a mutilated map of India in his manifesto.

Taking a swipe at Tharoor, he said, "While Rahul Gandhi is supposedly on a Bharat Jodo Yatra, wannabe Congress president is hell bent on dismembering India. May be he thinks this might help find favour with the Gandhis."

Echoing similar sentiments, BJP's national spokesperson RP Singh said, "It is not a mistake or blunder but laid policy of Congress about Jammu and Kashmir."

Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge are the main contenders in the Congress presidential race with both the leaders filing their nominations on Friday.

The veteran Kharge has appeared to be a clear favourite. -- PTI

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17:59 Gas leak reported from ONGC well in Gujarat

Gas leaked from a well of the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation near a village in Gujarat's Mehsana district on Friday, an official said.

While the gas is not inflammable or poisonous, people in nearby areas have complained of burning sensation in their eyes and throat, he said.

The leak began around 2 am at the well located near Kasalpura village and efforts are on by the staff to control it, Mehsana district development officer Om Prakash said.

With a population of around 850, Kasalpura is located around 1.5 km from the site, he said.

"Compressed air that is pumped into the well has been escaping, and the gas is not poisonous or inflammable. People have complained of mild burning sensation in eyes and throat. Wind direction is towards Kasalpura," Om Prakash said.

At least 40 people in three villages nearby have complained of burning sensation in eyes and throat, and the ONGC has been asked to set up gas analysers to check the nature of gas leaking from the well, he said. -- PTI

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17:45 Malaysia-bound flight delayed after bomb hoax by passenger at Delhi airport

A Malaysia-bound flight on Friday was delayed over a false bomb alarm after a fight between two passengers on board the plane at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, officials said.

Security agencies were alerted about the bomb call from the Malaysia Airlines's MH173 around 1 pm after which they thoroughly checked the flight, the officials said.

The aircraft finally departed for Kuala Lumpur after a delay of two hours and 40 minutes and four passengers allegedly involved in the incident were handed over to the local police, they said.

"A fight broke out between two passengers for keeping their bags in the overhead cabin of the aircraft. When one passenger asked the other what was in his bag, the other replied 'bomb'. The flight was then grounded as the pilot was informed about it and the pilot intimated the ATC (air traffic controller)," official sources said.

"A bomb threat assessment committee immediately probed the matter and the flight was put through checks after which the bomb call was declared a hoax," the sources said. A total of four passengers -- all Indians -- were handed over to the police, they added. -- PTI

Zakir Naik

16:53 Zakir Naik's staffer acquitted in ISIS case

An employee of Zakir Naik-led Islamic Research Foundation arrested in 2016 for allegedly indoctrinating youngsters to join terror outfit Islamic State of Iraq and Syria was acquitted on Friday by a special court in Mumbai.

The National Investigation Agency had charged Arshi Qureshi under Unlawful Activity (Prevention) Act for involvement in activities to support the ISIS and spread hatred in India.

Special NIA Judge AM Patil acquitted Qureshi of all charges.

The detailed order has not been made available as yet. Qureshi and two others were arrested following a complaint filed by the father of an alleged ISIS member Ashfaq after the latter went missing.

Qureshi was accused of instigating Ashfaq to join ISIS. -- PTI

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16:36 Class 2 student left locked in UP classroom, headmaster among 8 suspended

A class 2 student of a government school in Bulandshahr was left locked in the classroom, a senior official said on Friday.

The school's headmaster, four teachers, two Shiksha Mitras and an office help have been suspended, Basic Shiksha Adhikari, BK Sharma said.

A purported video of the girl crying inside the classroom and asking for help surfaced on social media.

On Thursday the student of Sanvilian Vidyalaya located in Segda Pir area was left behind locked in the school, Sharma said.

When the girl did not return home, the family launched a search and the child was found when people heard her cries coming from the school, he said.

The school staff was called to open the classroom and the child was brought out, the BSA said.

There was a block-level union election in the area on Thursday and the teachers had left early for it, he said, adding the headmaster also left the school after that, leaving the students with the office help.

Sharma said this is a matter of grave negligence on the part of the school and action against the entire school staff will be taken.

Earlier this month, a seven-year-old girl had remained locked up in a school in Sambhal district for 18 hours after the staff went home without checking if any child was left behind. -- PTI

Amid a protracted crisis in the Congress, the supporters of Sachin Pilot gathered at the All India Congress Committee office in New Delhi on Friday and demanded that he be elected as the party president or be made the chief minister of Rajasthan.

As soon as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot arrived at the AICC office, the supporters began raising slogans in favour of Pilot.

"We want to see Sachin Pilot as the chief minister of Rajasthan or as the national president of Congress," said a supporter of Pilot.

"Rahul Gandhi is also young; the future of India is in the hands of the youth. Till the youth is not given a top post, the Congress will not get power. Pilot knows about problems at the ground level and what the party workers go through. We demand he be made the party president," he added.

Gehlot on Thursday announced that he was pulling out of the Congress presidential polls following the political turmoil in Rajasthan.

Pilot's supporters wanted to see him as the next Rajasthan CM in the event Gehlot shifted to Delhi.

The young leader met interim party president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Thursday.

After the meeting, he said the decision of the Congress chief will be final on who will be at the helm of affairs in Rajasthan.

Gehlot, meanwhile, has said he had apologised to Sonia Gandhi for the problems emerging in the state triggered by his loyalists.

New coins featuring the new British monarch, King Charles III, are expected to enter general circulation in the coming months as the portrait design was unveiled on Friday.

The UK's Royal Mint revealed the new design with Charles' head facing in the opposite direction to that of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, as is royal tradition, along with a set of commemorative coins in memory of the late monarch. All coins bearing the effigy of the Queen, who died aged 96 earlier this month, will continue to also remain in circulation as legal tender in parallel.

It is a privilege to sculpt the first official effigy of His Majesty and to receive his personal approval for the design, said Martin Jennings, Designer of the King's coin portrait.

The portrait was sculpted from a photograph of the King, and was inspired by the iconic effigies that have graced Britain's coins over the centuries. It is the smallest work I have created, but it is humbling to know it will be seen and held by people around the world for centuries to come, he said.

The first coins to bear the King's portrait are a special GBP 5 coin and 50 pence commemorating the life and legacy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Latin inscription surrounding the effigy translates as King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith. The effigy will start to appear on circulating and commemorative coins produced by the Royal Mint over the coming months.

The Royal Mint has been trusted to make coins bearing the monarch's effigy for over 1,100 years and we are proud to continue this tradition into the reign of King Charles III, said Anne Jessopp, Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Mint.

Although technology has progressed, we continue to honour British craftsmanship passed down through the centuries. Our team of skilled modellers, tool makers and engravers will ensure that the King's effigy will be faithfully replicated onto millions of coins, she said.

The CEO said the Queen had ruled with heart and devotion for 70 years and the memorial collection commemorates her legacy as Britain's longest serving monarch.

To ensure everyone can hold a piece of history in their hand, the 50p will also enter circulation in the UK, she added.

The special memorial Queen coin range will be released on Monday, with the reverse of the commemorative GBP 5 featuring two new portraits of Queen Elizabeth II. The design was created by artist John Bergdahl in collaboration with the Royal Mint.

Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati on Friday said the ban on the Popular Front of India ahead of elections in some states was an act of "political selfishness" aimed at appeasing the RSS.

The Bahujan Samaj Party chief said this decision was behind countrywide demands to also ban the RSS.

In a tweet in Hindi, Mayawati said, "After targeting PFI (Popular Front of India) in various ways across the country, the Centre has finally banned it along with eight of its affiliates before assembly elections and considering it a policy of political selfishness and appeasement of the Sangh, there is less of satisfaction and more of restlessness."

In a related tweet, she added, "This is the reason why the opposition parties are angry and attacking on this issue considering the government's intentions to be flawed and the demand for banning the RSS is also openly being raised that if PFI is a danger for the internal security of the country why should other organisations like it should also not be banned?

The Centre on Wednesday banned the PFI, which has allegedly been involved in a series of violence and has "links" with global terror groups like ISIS, along with several associates for five years.

The organisations which were also banned under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act include Rehab India Foundation, Campus Front of India, All India Imams Council, National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation, National Women's Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala.

15:44 Modi's convoy stops to give way to ambulance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy stopped for a brief time to give way to an ambulance while travelling to Gandhinagar from Ahmedabad on Friday.

A video shared by the Gujarat BJP's media cell shows two SUVs, which were part of the prime minister's convoy, slowly moving to the left side on the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar road to give way to the ambulance.

The incident took place when Modi was on his way to the Raj Bhavan in Gandhinagar after finishing his public rally near Doordarshan Centre in Ahmedabad in the afternoon.

"On the way to Gandhinagar from Ahmedabad, PM Modi's carcade stopped to give way to an ambulance," the Gujarat BJP said in a statement.

On the second day of his Gujarat visit, Modi flagged off the Gandhinagar-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express train and also launched the first phase of Ahmedabad Metro rail project.

In the evening, the prime minister will be in Banaskantha district to address a public gathering and perform aarti at the famous Ambaji temple. -- PTI

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday slashed the growth projection to 7 per cent for the current fiscal from the earlier forecast of 7.2 per cent, citing aggressive tightening of monetary policies globally and moderation in demand.

Unveiling the fifth monetary policy for this fiscal, RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said the central bank remains committed to price stability to put the country on the sustained path of growth.

Real GDP growth in the first quarter of the current fiscal was 13.5 per cent.

Das, however, cautioned that there is a third wave of shock globally triggered by aggressive monetary policy tightening to curb inflation.

The central bank in April slashed the real GDP growth projection to 7.2 per cent from its earlier forecast of 7.8 per cent for 2022-23. -- PTI

Total 30 Congress leaders have proposed Mallikarjun Kharge's name for the election of the president of the Congress.

Earlier, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said all senior leaders had decided to back veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's candidature for the party chief's election.

Former Union minister Shashi Tharoor will be Kharge's challenger.

Here's the list of leaders who have supported Kharge.

1. Salman Khurshid

2. Akhilesh Prasad Singh

3. Deepender Hooda

4. Narayanasamy

5. V. Vaithilingam

6. Pramod Tiwari

7. P. L. Punia

8. Avinash Pandey

9. Rajeev Shukla

10. Syed Naseer Hussain

11. Manish Tewari

12. Raghuvir Singh Meena

13. Dhiraj Prasad Sahu

14. Tarachand Bhagora

15. Prithviraj Chavan

16. Kamleshwar Patel

17. Mool Chand Meena

18. Gunjan Patel

19. Sanjay Kapoor

20. Vinit Punia

21. A K Antony

22. Ashok Gehlot

23. Ambika Soni

24. Mukul Wasnik

25. Anand Sharma

26. Abhishek Singhvi

27. Ajay Maken

28. Bhupender Hooda

29. Digvijaya Singh

30. Tariq Anwar

Preparations are underway to arrest Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha since he was appointed as the party's co-incharge of political affairs in Gujarat, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed on Friday.

Kejriwal, however, did not specify which agency was working on the alleged plan to arrest Chadha and on what charges.

Rajya Sabha MP Chadha, who is credited with playing a significant role in the AAP's victory in the assembly elections in Punjab earlier this year, was recently appointed as co-incharge of the party's political affairs in Gujarat where elections are due this year.

"We are hearing that these people will arrest Ragav Chadha now since he has been appointed as co-incharge of Gujarat and he has started participating in poll campaigns in Gujarat," Kejriwal, the AAP's national convenor, said in a Tweet in Hindi.

"In which case they will (arrest) and what will be the allegations, these people are working on these points at present," he added.

Kejriwal's claim comes after the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested the party's media communications in-charge Vijay Nair in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy "scam" on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Kejriwal slammed the BJP-led Centre over Nair's arrest and asked his party workers and leaders to be ready to go to jail, saying anyone from AAP could now be arrested on false charges as the BJP was scared of losing Gujarat.

He also defended Nair and said he was just a "small worker" of the AAP and that he had nothing to do with the excise policy.

He alleged that the CBI arrested Nair following several rounds of questioning over the past few days after he refused to buckle under their pressure to give a false statement against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia to implicate the senior AAP leader in the alleged excise "scam".

Nair was arrested also because he was engaged in preparing the AAP's communications strategy to drive the party's poll campaign in Gujarat after the elections in Punjab earlier this year, Kejriwal alleged. -- PTI

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday asserted that he has a vision to strengthen the party which should be a vehicle for "change" as he filed his nomination for the party president poll.

Addressing a press conference after filing his papers, the former Union minister called his rival Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also contesting and is being seen as the favourite to win, 'Bhishma Pitamah' of the Congress.

"It is a friendly contest that is going to happen. We are not enemies or rivals. No disrespect to him but I will represent my ideas," the articulate and savvy Kerala MP told reporters.

Tharoor called Kharge, 80, a "candidate of continuity", an apparent reference to the impression that the Karnataka leader is the choice of the Gandhis.

"I am not surprised that the establishment is rallying behind the status quo. If you want the status quo, I think you should vote for Mr. Kharge. If you want change and progress with an eye to the rest of the 21st century, then I hope I will stand for that change," the Thiruvananthapuram MP said.

He also spoke at length in Hindi, an apparent attempt to emphasise his bilingual credentials.

Both Tharoor and Kharge are from south India while a majority of party delegates, who will vote in the poll, are from Hindi-speaking states.

Tharoor also ruled out withdrawing from the contest, stressing that he has not taken the trouble of filing the nomination only to opt out later.

He said he will not let down party workers supporting him.

"I have a vision for the Congress and I will share it with over 9,000 delegates and seek their support. My nomination papers reflect the wide range of support I have received. I have got signatures of party workers from a dozen states," he said.

"We hope to strengthen the Congress and take the country forward," he said.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan on Friday called on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

The meeting came hours after Gen Chauhan assumed charge as India's new Chief of Defence Staff.

The post fell vacant after the country's first CDS Gen Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu in December last year.

Officials described Gen Chauhan's interaction with Singh as a courtesy meeting.

Known as an expert on China, his appointment to the top post comes amid the lingering border row between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh. -- PTI

14:26 PM to launch 5G services in India on Oct 1

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch the much-awaited 5G services in India on October 1, 2022, an official release said on Friday.

According to the release, 5G to be launched by the Prime Minister in select cities, will progressively cover the entire country over the next couple of years.

The cumulative economic impact of 5G on India is estimated to reach USD 450 billion by 2035.

Capable of supporting ultra-high-speed internet services, the fifth generation or 5G is expected to unleash new economic opportunities and societal benefits, serving as a transformational force for Indian society.

"Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will launch 5G services in India on October 1, 2022 and also inaugurate the 6th Edition of India Mobile Congress 2022 to be held from October 1-4, 2022, at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi," the release added.

It is pertinent to mention here that 5G offers speed multiple times faster than 4G, supports lag-free connectivity, and can enable billions of connected devices to share data in real-time.

Besides powering ultra-low latency connections, which allow downloading full-length high-quality video or movie to a mobile device in a matter of seconds (even in crowded areas), 5G can enable solutions such as e-health, connected vehicles, more-immersive augmented reality and metaverse experiences, life-saving use cases, and advanced mobile cloud gaming, among others.

"5G can unleash new economic opportunities and societal benefits giving it the potential for being a transformational force for Indian society. It will help the country leapfrog the traditional barriers to development, spur innovations by startups and business enterprises as well as advance the 'Digital India' vision," the official release said.

The launch of 5G services in India, the world's second-biggest smartphone market after China, follows years of intense preparation.

India's biggest ever auction of telecom spectrum held recently had received a record Rs 1.5 lakh crore of bids, with Mukesh Ambani's Jio cornering nearly half of all the airwaves sold with a Rs 88,078 crore bid.

Telecom tycoon Sunil Bharti Mittal's Bharti Airtel made a successful bid of Rs 43,084 crore, while Vodafone Idea Ltd bought spectrum for Rs 18,799 crore.

Gautam Adani's group, whose entry in the auction was billed by some as another flashpoint in the rivalry with Ambani, paid Rs 212 crore for 400 MHz. Adani group bought spectrum in the 26 GHz band, which is suitable for setting up a private network for end-to-end communication.

Veteran Congress leader and lead of opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has filed his nomination for the post of Congress president.

Former Union minister Shashi Tharoor will be Kharge's challenger.

Polling will take place on October 17 and the result will be announced on October 19.

Former Jharkhand minister K N Tripathi

13:55 Jh'khand leader to contest against Tharoor, Kharge

Former Jharkhand minister K N Tripathi on Friday submitted his nomination papers for the Congress president election.

Tripathi handed over the nomination papers to Madhusudan Mistry, chairman of the Congress' Central Election Authority, at the AICC headquarters here.

Besides Tripathi, former Union minister Shashi Tharoor has filed his nomination papers for the election of the Congress president.

Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge is also scheduled to file his nomination.

Tripathi served as the national president of the Congress-affiliated Indian National Trade Union Congress (Tripathi faction). -- PTI

Congress presidential poll candidate Shashi Tharoor on Friday said he is aware of his underdog tag and talk of an 'official candidate' in some quarters but he has been told by the Gandhi family repeatedly that they are "neither directly nor indirectly" backing anyone.

Tharoor, who filed his nomination papers for the top post at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in New Delhi, also said it is apparent that not everything about the electoral process has been ideal, but added that there is no point seeking perfection now as if one wants to play the match, one has to "bat on the available pitch".

The Thiruvananthapuram MP, however, asserted that he remains convinced of the party's commitment towards ensuring that these elections take place in a free and fair manner.

In an exclusive interview with PTI, Tharoor said he believes that a fresh leader, who has not been "jaded by being entrenched within the current system for too long", could energise the party and also appeal to more voters than the Congress managed to during the last few elections.

The 66-year-old leader also said he hopes that the Gandhi family will recognise that they are and remain the foundational pillar of the Congress, "our moral conscience and ultimate guiding spirit".

They cannot and must not withdraw from that role, whatever the formal designations they choose to retain, Tharoor said.

"To my mind, though the party presidential election is an internal exercise, it also represents an opportunity to ignite widespread public interest in the Congress and to galvanise its party workers," he said.

He said that when, following the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi offered to resign as the party president to take accountability for the stinging defeat, he was one of the many who tried to talk him out of it.

"At the end of the day, he stuck to his decision and we must respect that. That said, the longer the Congress waits to get its act together, the greater the risk of a steady erosion of our traditional vote bank and their gravitation towards our political competitors," the former Union minister said.

"Which is why I have long been an outspoken advocate for free and transparent elections within the party, including for the post of President -- because a leader elected by the party workers will have a great advantage in addressing organisational challenges, as well as the process of rebuilding that is required to internally strengthen the rank and file of the party," Tharoor said.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday said all senior leaders had decided to back veteran Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge's candidature for the party chief's election.

Gehlot, who declared on Thursday that he would not contest the election, also announced his support for Kharge after meeting the senior leader at his 10, Rajaji Marg residence here.

"All senior leaders have together decided on Kharge's candidature," Gehlot told reporters outside Kharge's residence.

Former Union minister Shashi Tharoor will be Kharge's challenger.

Asked whether he had offered to resign as Rajasthan chief minister, Gehlot evaded a direct response.

"I have held several positions for the past 50 years with the blessings of the Gandhi family. Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, and Sonia Gandhi have showered their blessings on me. For me, it is not the position that matters, but what matters is how to strengthen the party. I will make every effort towards it," he said.

Gehlot appealed to everyone to support Kharge in rebuilding the party after the presidential election.

"Even Shashi Tharoor had said it is a friendly match and after elections Congress will be the winner," he said.

Gehlot said Kharge was an experienced leader and had won elections 10-12 times.

"He has experience at both state and national level. I support the decision for him to contest," Gehlot added. -- PTI

Two local Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district on Friday, police said.

Two encounters broke out between the security forces and the militants in Shopian and Baramulla districts in the early hours of Friday, they added.

A police official said the encounters began after the security forces launched cordon-and-search operations in the Chitragam area of Shopian and the Yedipora area of Pattan in Baramulla.

The two terrorists were killed during the exchange of fire in the Baramulla operation, he added.

"01 more #terrorist killed (Total 02). Both the local terrorists linked with proscribed #terror outfit JeM. #Search operation in progress. Further details shall follow," Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said in a tweet. -- PTI

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Friday filed the nomination for the Congress presidential poll.

Mallikarjun Kharge is the other frontrunner in the contest after Digvijaya Singh and Ashok Gehlot dropped out of the race.

The party members will elect their next chief on October 17, and the results would be announced on October 19.

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday announced that he will not contest the party president's election and would instead propose the candidature of his senior Mallikarjun Kharge.

He said he has worked for the Congress all his life and will continue to do so.

"Kharge ji is my leader and my senior. I had asked him yesterday if he wanted to contest. He said no. I met him again today. I told him I am with you fully if you are contesting. I can't think of contesting against him. He is filing his nomination and I will be his proposer," said Singh.

"There are some non-negotiables in my life. I don't compromise on issues related to Dalits, tribals and OBCs; I don't compromise with those who spoil communal harmony and I don't compromise my commitment to the Gandhi family," he said.

Singh had expressed his inclination to contest the top party post and had collected 10 sets of nomination papers on Thursday after Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot opted out of the race.

The 'one man, one post' formula will apply to Kharge, as in the case of Gehlot, who was asked to quit as chief minister if he contested for the top party post.

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor will also file his nomination papers on Friday.

Senior member of the pro-reform G23 group Manish Tewari on Friday called for consensus on the post of Congress president and recalled late President Pranab Mukherjee's pitch for the same.

In a tweet on the last day of filing of papers for the party chief's poll, Tewari cited the ongoing confusion to seek agreement.

"Leadership, Ideological clarity, narrative and transparent access to resources are pillars of 'A' political party. Given recent unfortunate events it's time to close ranks & strengthen @INCIndia recalling wise words of @CitiznMukherjee & work for a Consensus & effective Presidency," Tewari said.

Tewari quoted Mukherjee's memoir where the late president said, "Certain offices should not be sought. They should be offered. Congress presidency to be one such office.

"The old practice of inviting an eminent person to preside over the annual session of the Congress and that person holding office till the next annual session was truly remarkable. My efforts were always focused at having a unanimously chosen or consensus candidate for the office of Congress president. That is what prompted me to work for consuls for Sitaram Kesri failing which I supported him." -- PTI

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor visited Rajghat here on Friday and paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi ahead of filing his nomination papers for the party's presidential poll.

"Paid tribute to the man who built India's bridge to the 21st century this morning," Tharoor said in a tweet.

He quoted former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi as saying, "India is an Old country but a young nation... I dream of India Strong, Independent, Self-Reliant and in the front rank of the nations of the world, in the service of mankind."

Meanwhile, Congress' central election authority chairman Madhusudan Mistry said Digvijaya Singh is expected to file his nomination papers between 11-11:30 am and Tharoor around 12:25 pm.

Singh met Tharoor on Thursday and the latter said they agreed that theirs is "not a battle between rivals but a friendly contest" among colleagues.

Polling will take place on October 17 and the result will be announced on October 19. -- PTI

11:10 2 quakes jolt northeast

Two earthquakes jolted parts of northeast early on Friday, an official report said.

One had its epicentre in the neighbouring country of Myanmar, the second in Manipur.

A report by National Centre for Seismology said a 5.2-magnitude earthquake, with epicentre in Myanmar, was recorded at 3.52 am. It lay at a depth of 140 km.

Tremors were felt in Assam, including Guwahati.

The second 3.8-magnitude quake, with epicentre in Kamjong, Manipur, lay at a depth of 10 km.

It was reported at 7.53 am, the report said.

No news of any loss of life or property was received from any location as yet.

The northeastern region falls in high seismic zone, making earthquakes a frequent occurrence. -- PTI

Ahead of filing his nomination for the Congress presidential poll, party leader Digvijaya Singh on Friday met his colleagues Mallikarjun Kharge and K C Venugopal.

The details of the meetings were not known immediately.

Singh collected nomination papers for the party president election on Thursday, even as Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot opted out of the race.

Kharge is also likely to enter the contest with the blessing of the Gandhi family.

There is speculation that Singh may replace Kharge as the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha if the latter becomes the party chief.

The 'one man, one post' formula will apply to Kharge, as in the case of Gehlot, who was asked to quit as chief minister if he contested for the top party post.

Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor will also file his nomination papers on Friday.

A tent has been set up in the lawns of the AICC headquarters in Delhi and party leaders can file their nomination papers between 11 am and 3 pm.

Polling will take place on October 17 and the result will be announced on October 19.

The Reserve Bank of India on Friday raised the benchmark lending rate by 50 basis points to 5.90 per cent in a bid to check inflation, which has remained above its tolerance level for the past 8 months.

With the latest hike, the repo rate or the short term lending rate at which banks borrow from the central bank is now close to 6 per cent.

This is the fourth consecutive rate hike after a 40 basis points increase in May and 50 basis points hike each in June and August. In all, RBI has raised benchmark rate by 1.90 per cent since May this year.

The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) headed by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das decided in favour of the rate hike.

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) based inflation, which RBI factors in while fixing its benchmark rate, stood at 7 per cent in August. Retail inflation has been ruling above the RBI's comfort level of 6 per cent since January this year.

Das retained the inflation projection at 6.7 per cent for the current fiscal while slashing real GDP growth estimate to 7 per cent from earlier forecast of 7.2 per cent for FY'23.

The latest RBI action follows the US Federal Reserve effecting the third consecutive 0.75 percentage point interest rate increase, taking its benchmark rate to a range of 3-3.25 per cent earlier this month. -- PTI

10:46 Gen Anil Chauhan takes charge as CDS

Gen Anil Chauhan on Friday became India's new Chief of Defence Staff with a mandate to implement the ambitious theaterisation plan that seeks to ensure tri-services synergy and prepare the military for future security challenges.

Gen Chauhan, a former Eastern Army Commander, took charge as the country's senior-most military commander over nine months after first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Bipin Rawat died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.

"I will try to fulfil expectations of the three services," Gen Chauhan said.

Known as an expert on China, his appointment to the top post comes amid the lingering border row between Indian and Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh.

Sixty-one-year-old Chauhan will also function as Secretary in the Department of Military Affairs.

He retired from service on May 31 last year when he was serving as the Eastern Army Commander. After his retirement, he was serving as the military adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) headed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval.

Before assuming charge of the CDS, Gen Chauhan paid tributes to India's fallen soldiers at the National War Memorial in the India Gate complex.

He was also accorded a tri-services guard of honour at the lawns of the South Block in the Raisina Hills.

Born on May 18, 1961, Gen Chauhan was commissioned into the 11 Gorkha Rifles of the Indian Army in 1981.

As CDS, Gen Chauhan's primary task will be to implement the theaterisation model to bring in tri-services synergy by rolling out integrated military commands.

Last year, the Department of Military Affairs headed by Gen Rawat had asked all three services to carry out independent studies on the theaterisation plan for its rollout.

However, the process did not move further after the death of Gen Rawat on December 8, 2021.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the Gandhinagar-Mumbai Vande Bharat Express train.

Modi flagged off the Vande Bharat Express from Gandhinagar Capital railway station at around 10.30 am. He also took a ride on the train from Gandhinagar to Kalupur railway station in Ahmedabad.

He will also inaugurate phase-I of the Ahmedabad Metro rail project and also launch various projects worth Rs 7,200 crore on the second day of his Gujarat visit on Friday.

From Kalupur station, the prime minister will inaugurate phase-1 of the ambitious and much-awaited Ahmedabad Metro project, completed at a cost of Rs 12,925 crore, a state government release said.

He will board the metro train at Kalupur station and reach Doordarshan Centre in Thaltej, where he is scheduled to address a mega gathering around noon, it said.

In the evening, the PM will reach Ambaji town in Banaskantha district to launch various projects worth Rs 7,200 crore. After addressing a gathering, he will perform an aarti at the famous Ambaji temple, the release added.

Gujarat, the home state of Modi, faces assembly elections by the year-end and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is making all out efforts to retain power in the state, which it has ruled for nearly three decades now.

09:52 Kharge likely to join race for Cong chief post

Congress veteran Mallikarjun Kharge will join the contest for Congress president, according to sources who have said that the Leader of Opposition in the Raja Sabha is likely to file his nomination for the party's top post today.

The contest for the post will then be likely to be between Kharge, Digvijaya Singh and Shashi Tharoor, they said.

Nominations for the post of Congress president closes at 3 pm today and results will be declared on October 19.

"Kharge is likely to file his nomination with one section of the Gandhi loyalists approaching him to contest the polls. However, the final decision will be taken shortly," said the sources.

With the Gandhis not running for the top post this time around, the grand old party is all set to get a non-Gandhi president after over 25 years.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot was being seen as a frontrunner in the race before he opted to pull out after meeting with Sonia Gandhi on Thursday.

Addressing media persons in the national capital after the meeting Gehlot said that he had apologised to her for the scenario emerging in the state triggered by his loyalists.

After announcing his decision to contest in the upcoming Congress presidential polls, veteran Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said that the Nehru-Gandhi family will remain their leader whosoever becomes the president of the party.

According to the sources, Manish Tewari, a face of the G-23 group of leaders (those seeking reforms in the party) is also mulling over filing the nomination for the top post.

09:42 Rahul Gandhi unfit for politics, says Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi saying he "does not have systematic seriousness", wants to have power without responsibility and "is not fit for politics".

In an interview with ANI, Sarma who was in Congress for over two decades, said he had told the party's leadership that they will lose the northeast without a course correction.

Sarma joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2015.

He accused Rahul Gandhi of being non-serious as a politician, behaving like "a feudal lord" and being arrogant.

"The first thing is he is not fit for politics. Probably, the work he should not do, he is doing," Sarma said.

He said Rahul Gandhi can sometimes leave a meeting in between and go for his exercise routine like jogging or suddenly go to the next room and come after half an hour.

"There is no systematic seriousness," he said.

Sarma said Rahul Gandhi, who is on Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, had taken moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections and for his losing from Amethi and had stepped down as president but continues to take crucial party decisions.

"Rahul has taken moral responsibility that the party lost the Lok Sabha elections under my leadership, so I will not be the president. But who is running the party today, who is leading the Bharat Jodo Yatra? Who is the whole party running after? That means you want to enjoy the power without accountability. In a democracy, when somebody wants to enjoy the power without parliamentary accountability, without party accountability, without the accountability of the people, that is the most dangerous thing," he said.

"You are not the Congress president but you take all the decisions. If you are not the Congress president, taken up moral responsibility after losing the election, why entire party is behind you now," he added.

Sarma said Rahul Gandhi was on yatra but had failed to convey his vision for the country.

"They (Gandhi family) go to the poor people, but do the poor come to their house? Have you ever seen Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi having dinner with poor people at the same dining table," Sarma asked.

He said Congress has an ecosystem where only the Gandhi family matters.

Mohammed Siraj on Friday replaced injured pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah for India's remaining two T20 International matches against the visiting South African team.

Bumrah was on Thursday ruled out of the upcoming T20 World Cup due to a back stress fracture.

"The All-India Senior Selection Committee named Mohd. Siraj as replacement for injured Jasprit Bumrah for the remainder of the T20I series against South Africa," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in the statement on Friday.

"Bumrah has sustained a back injury and is currently under the supervision of the BCCI Medical Team."

The 28-year-old Siraj, a right-arm pacer, has so far played in five T20Is and picked up five wickets from them. His last T20I match was against Sri Lanka at Dharamsala in February this year.

India lead the three-match T20I series against South Africa 1-0 after a comprehensive eight-wicket win in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday. The second and third matches will be played in Guwahati (October 2) and Indore (October 4).

Indian squad for South Africa T20Is: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Umesh Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohd Siraj.

09:26 Model's body found hanging in Mumbai hotel

The body of a 30-year-old model was found hanging from a fan in a hotel room in Mumbai's Andheri area on Thursday.

According to police, the model checked in the hotel around 8 pm on Wednesday and also ordered dinner.

On Thursday, she did not open the door after repeated calling by the housekeeping staff.

Following this, the manager of the hotel informed the police.

On reaching the hotel, when the police opened the room with the master key, the model's body was found hanging from the fan.

The police also recovered a suicide note from the spot.

On the suicide note, the model wrote, "I am sorry. No one is responsible for this. I am not happy. I just need peace."

Versova Police registered a case under ADR and sent the body for post-mortem.

Two encounters broke out between security forces and terrorists in Shopian and Baramulla districts of Jammu and Kashmir in the early hours of Friday, police said.

The encounters began after the security forces launched cordon and search operations in the Chitragam area in south Kashmir's Shopian and in the Yedipora area in north Kashmir's Baramulla, a police official said.

Further details are awaited, he said.

A court in Mathura fixed October 26 as the next date for hearing into a plea seeking the shifting of the Meena Masjid claimed to have been constructed on a part of the land of the Katra Keshav Dev temple.

Civil Judge (Senior Division) Jyoti Singh did not pass any order on Thursday except fixing the hearing for October 26, petitioner's counsel Deepak Sharma said.

The petitioner had requested the court to send an official to the mosque for reporting the actual status, the counsel said. -- PTI

China's military said on Thursday that the disengagement of Chinese and Indian troops from Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area in eastern Ladakh is conducive to promoting peace and tranquillity in the border areas.

In line with the consensus reached in the 16th Round of China-India Corps Commander-level Meeting, the frontline troops of the two militaries in the area of Jianan Daban recently staged disengagement simultaneously in a planned manner, Chinese defence spokesman senior Col. Tan Kefei said at his monthly online media briefing.

The Chinese military refers to Patrolling Point 15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area as Jianan Daban.

"This is a result achieved by the two sides in resolving relevant border issues through diplomatic and military consultations and negotiations at all levels, which is conducive to promoting peace and tranquillity in the border area," he said, replying to a question on the disengagement, according to the Chinese military's official website.

He also said that China hopes both sides will continue to work together in the same direction, bearing in mind the overall interests of bilateral relations between the two countries and two militaries, strictly abide by the agreements and consensus reached between the two countries, maintain communication and dialogue, effectively manage differences, and jointly safeguard the security and stability in border areas. -- PTI

IAS officer Harjot Kaur Bamhrah

01:08 NCPCR lens on IAS officer for sanitary pad jibe

Apex child rights body National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has asked the Bihar government to conduct an enquiry and take action after a senior IAS officer allegedly made objectionable remarks to a student on affordable sanitary napkins.

Harjot Kaur Bamhrah, who is an additional chief secretary rank officer and who also heads the state's women's and child development commission, during a state-level workshop organised in collaboration with UNICEF, had rebuked school girls who requested that the government, which gives many doles such as free bicycles and school uniforms, should also consider providing free sanitary napkins.

"There is no limit to such freebies. The government is already giving a lot. Today you want a packet of napkins for free. Tomorrow you may want jeans and shoes and, later, when the stage comes for family planning, you may demand free condoms as well," Bamhrah can be heard saying in a purported video footage that has gone viral.

PTI has not independently verified the authenticity of the video.

The NCPCR, in a letter to the Bihar chief secretary, said the commission deems it appropriate to take suo-moto cognisance since there is a prima-facie violation of section 75 and other relevant provisions under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.

"The commission thereby requests your good offices to take a look into the matter and have a thorough inquiry of the events and take necessary action. Further an action taken report may be submitted to the Commission within seven days of receipt of this letter," the letter said.

In a separate letter to UNICEF India, the NCPCR sought details of the children who took part in the said incident, including their names, school details and addresses, so that the Commission may take the necessary action. -- PTI

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